


Megadimension Puyo: The Zodiac Stones

by TheBlackKid



Category: Hyperdimension Neptunia, Puyo Puyo (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Constellations, Dimension Travel, Family, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Zodiac, video game references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 54,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25212760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBlackKid/pseuds/TheBlackKid
Summary: The galactic powers of the Zodiac work in mysterious ways. In this case, they bring three separate dimensions together to cease an act of violence fueled with revenge. And reveal secrets not even one's horoscope could predict. Includes mild swearing & mild sexual humor. Knowledge of the astrological signs is recommended.
Kudos: 3





	1. Guidance of Scorpio

**Prologue**

What's up, you worthless mortals?! The name's Ridel! And the one thing I want in life is to set free an Armageddon! Turning this world into an apocalyptic wasteland! _***giggle***_

…

But…every time I try to do so, I get defeated by this one person I cannot stand. She stops me every damn time and then I get sealed away to this literal hellhole. And the more that happens, the more hatred I gain for this person. The desire of seeing her petite-ass body bleeding out beyond compare kept growing and growing. The thought of her begging for mercy as I end her pain in the ass life makes me giggle every time it comes to my mind.

And so, because of that, I've gained a new number one goal in life.

_Lidelle…Lidelle Namanari…I'm gonna kill you, Namanari! Screw that Demonic Princess crap! Your corpse will me_ _**MINE!** _ _***giggle*** _

…

_But before that could happen…_

" _Grr…C-Come on…d-damnit. I-If I can just…use the last bit of my reserved strength…I-I can break free from these…_ "

***CRACK***

" _Y-Yes!_ _ **YES! Finally! I'm free from these damn chains! Suck it, losers! Hahahahaha!**_ " I laughed with pure joy as I fled from the prison that I was trapped in for far too long. Getting far enough to catch my breath from the excitement of being free at long last.

But the excitement didn't last long.

" _ ***pant* *pant***_ _Man...I've lost more energy than I thought. Being chained up for so long really did a number on me._ "

…

" _And I know just who to blame, too._ " I then started remembering how I got this way in the first place. And was slowly building up rage.

" _Tch. That damn Demonic Princess. She's been a pain in my ass since day freaking one. I was so freaking close to my Armageddon coming true that day. But she just_ _ **HAD**_ _to get in the way._ "

…

" _Plus, there was that damn fallen angel. Where the hell did_ _ **THAT**_ _thing come from, anyway?_ " I asked myself as I thought more about that day.

***ATTENTION! ATTENTION! THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED! I REPEAT, THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED! FIND HER AT ONCE!***

" _ **Tch! Damnit! They already found out! I gotta get out of here!**_ "

I flew even farther despite my weakened energy. I had to get away or else I would be put back in that prison again. And that was something I refused to let happen again.

" _ ***pant* *pant***_ _Th-This should be far enough. But damn…I'm so weak. I'm getting tired out just by flying._ "

I then found a nearby tree (yes, there are trees in Puyo Hell) and sat underneath it to regain at least some of my strength.

" _ ***sigh***_ _Come to think about it…I may be this weak due to the fact that I'm no longer a soul. Damn Lidelle stole it from me back when I lost to her the first time. Now, I'm just a simple weaker copy of her. Meaning that I'll surely get my ass kicked again if I try anything now._

 _If there was a way to gain more power without any effort whatsoever…letting me murder Lidelle with ease…I would take it in a heartbeat._ "

_..._

_..._

_..._

" _Tch. As if such a thing would truly exist. And it'll probably be a pain in the ass to get, anyway. Wouldn't be easy at all._ "

"So you think. But it's actually a lot simpler than you believe it to be."

" _Huh? Who said that? Are you damn guards asking for a fight already?_ "

"Relax. I'm not a guard." Said a girl who dropped down from the top of the tree I was under. Her appearance was nothing but dark blue. Her empty eyes, her long hair, her clothes. I swear she looks like a freaking emo.

" _Well, how was I supposed to know that when you're hiding in the shadows like a creep? Who the hell are you anyway?_ "

"Well…I was originally referred to as Uzume Tennouboshi. But thanks to a certain idiot girl, I'm now stuck with the name Kurome Ankokuboshi."

" _K-Kurome A-Anko...ku… **Gah! Your name's too freaking hard to pronounce!**_ " I yelled in confused anger.

"You can see why I don't like it myself." The girl made an exasperated sigh.

" _Look, what do you want, anyway? I'm too damn busy for this._ "

"So, you don't want to hear me out?"

" _Please. I may be a crazy psychopath, but I don't deal with creepy people dropping randomly from trees. Get lost._ " I then tried to leave this weird-ass emo girl with the little energy I had within me.

But as I flew just only a few inches away...

"I see. So, you don't wish to destroy this pitiful world you reside in huh...Ridel Honnari?"

_What the..._

" _How do you know my name?_ " I asked. Somehow giving this girl my full attention.

"How can I not? You're quite famous down here, aren't you? A mere rejected clone of the Demonic Princess of Hell. Treated like a criminal for trying to kill your other-self. It's almost too damn funny. _***giggle***_ "

" _Tch. Well, if you think that's funny, then I got something for you that will make_ _ **me**_ _laugh._ " I said while tightening my fists.

"Sorry. I just couldn't resist. After all…you're a lot like me."

" _A lot like you? What are you talking about?_ "

"So, I've caught your interest. Great on my end. I'll tell you all about it if you're willing to hear me out. Deal?"

I still didn't trust this girl. Nor did I like her. I'm still rather pissed at the possibility of her spying on me and her knowing my name.

But I had to admit. Her saying that I'm a lot like her did catch my attention.

" _ ***sigh***_ _Fine. But make it quick, damnit. I don't know if you realize it, but I'm currently on the run from the law._ "

"Oh, you don't have to worry about those guards." Kurome said before snapping her fingers.

***BOOM***

" **Gah! It burns! My whole body is burning!** " I then heard some of the guards screaming in pain as they were probably being burned alive at this point.

" _Woah…_ "

"See? No worries."

" _Okay, if I have to listen to you then you have to teach me how to do that._ "

"Fine by me. Now, where to begin…"

* * *

Kurome then told everything that's happened to her and how it led to her being here. Something about being a CPU of a place called Planeptune. Being sealed away because she couldn't control her powers. And coming to hate each and every last person in Gamindustri, the world in which this Planeptune place resides in.

She then explained how she was so close to destroying it all. Planeptune, Gamindustri, and whatever the hell these "Hyper" and "Zero" dimensions were. But she was defeated by another version of herself and her friends. And was sent here as a means of "she died".

Now I see why she said that I was a lot like her.

" _Damn. So, you did all of that and you_ _ **STILL**_ _lost? That's the kind of cliché crap that I can't stand!_ "

"Hmph. You and me both. I was so pissed that I lost. All the mess I caused went down the damn drain. And what's worse is that I was completely outnumbered."

" _I know! It was the same for me_ _ **TWICE**_ _! I came so close to killing Lidelle and taking her title of the Demonic Princess! But her nuisance friends, a fallen angel, and even my_ " _family_ " _kept getting in the damn way! It's infuriating!_ "

"Huh…"

" _Someday…some freaking day…I wish to make my dream a reality. I'll murder that Demonic Princess. Rip her corpse piece by piece as she succumbs to a bloody demise. I don't give a rat's ass about the world anymore. As long as that damn brat is dead, I'll truly be happy. Vengeance is all I seek._ " I then felt my cloned blood boil with rage as I thought of that damn girl again.

"This Lidelle girl…you sure have a grudge against her."

" _Hmph. "Grudge" is a freaking understatement._ _She's the reason why I'm in this mess, to begin with. And while she's up there enjoying her normal life, I'm down here panting and trying not to pass out._ "

And now…with my rage all maxed out, I stood up and started punching the tree repeatedly with all my limited strength. It would no doubt make me even weaker than I am now…

" _ **Damn you! Damn you, Lidelle! I freaking hate you and I want you ****ing dead! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!**_ "

…But as you can tell, I didn't give a damn.

"I see." Kurome said. "Your hatred for the Demonic Princess stretches more than I thought it did. _To surpass world destruction, even…_ "

" _ ***pant* *pant***_ _H-Hey...just what…do you want from me? Y-You came…l-looking for me…d-didn't you?_ "

"Oh? You still have interest?"

" _I-I wouldn't…b-be asking…i-if it didn't, Emo Girl._ "

" _ ***giggle***_ That's true. Very well. If you truly desire to accomplish revenge on your greatest enemy…then listen to this." Kurome then started going on about something that could make my desires come to light. Something about…stones from the cosmos. And that five girls who reside in a different dimension are the keepers of each of them.

" _Wait, so…if we take these stones from these random girls, we'll get our wishes fulfilled? How do you know this is even true?_ "

"Oh, it's true. I've been studying them and the girls for a while now. Those stones each hold tremendous power. And once all five are in our grasps…vengeance will only be a matter of time. _***giggle***_ "

_Vengeance…in a matter of time…_

"So, what have you, Ridel Honnari? Care to join me in my quest for revenge?" Kurome asked me with a sadistic smile on her face.

I still didn't get what she meant by "tremendous power". Nor did I get how she figured out who and where these keeper girls are.

But if a bunch of simple stones were truly going to help me get back at Lidelle…and maybe even regain my dream of an Armageddon...

" _Alright...I guess I can help you out a little._ _ ***giggle***_ "

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Guidance of Scorpio**

Greetings. My name is Resta. My appearance consists of dark marron-like hair with a long braid, bright yellow eyes, and simple white skin. I normally wear a two-piece black jumpsuit underneath a mostly white & red mage robe. Along with a pair of red boots.

And around my neck…I contain a special necklace. A black string attached to an orange-like trigonal stone with a symbol engraved in it. This is referred to as…The Scorpio Citrine. And I'm known as…The Scorpio Princess.

…

Y-You're confused, aren't you? Well…I'll explain what I mean.

You see…I'm the princess of a distant land known as the Scarlet Kingdom. And with such a title, you're tasked with guarding the Scorpio Citrine. The precious gemstone that is the symbol of my home.

Not only that, but the Scorpio Citrine contains the power of Scorpio (that might have been obvious. But I'm saying it anyway). It's the eighth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Scorpius. It's from that constellation…plus the millions of Scorpios all across the universe…that gives the citrine its power.

Now, as one might expect…the fact that such a gemstone exists has drawn some people who wish to use it for evil intentions. And as such, I've driven these nuisances away with the power that envelopes me. Thanks to the citrine, of course.

But…not long ago…I faced off against a powerful foe. Who's intent for the Scorpio Citrine was all the same to others before.

Only this time…the outcome was one I didn't desire at all.

* * *

***A FEW DAYS AGO…***

" **Gah!** "

***BOOM***

" _ ***cough* *cough***_ _Wh-What…What is this power?_ " I was kneeling near the floor of the castle outskirts as I was facing off against a no doubt powerful foe. A purple-toned witch lady who's attire is…rather questionable. Her attack power is insane. And the accuracy of her attacks are all on-point. I couldn't avoid most of them even with my acrobatic speed.

Hence why…I am currently losing.

"Hahahahaha! Do you give up now, child?! If so, hand over the Scorpio Citrine."

" _Tch. Y-You think…I'm giving up…this easily?_ " I stood my ground. "I'm only getting started. **Antares!** " I performed a spell from the magic power given to me thanks to the citrine.

"Hmph. Reflect."

***PING***

***BOOM***

" **Gah!** " Only for it to be reflected back at me. Sending me farther than I was before and barely able to get up.

"Ha! What was that? Your _**true**_ power? Now give me the Scorpio Citrine and stop wasting my time."

" _Tch. N-Now you're…t-taunting me? Y-You…evil entity. F-For attacking…my kingdom…and putting its citizens in danger…_ **I will truly make you…** "

But before I could finish that decoration, I felt my arm being grabbed from behind. And with the strength it had, I had an idea of who it was.

"Why are you still here? You should have at least evacuated with your people."

" _L-Leave me be…Spille! Th-This is my kingdom…therefore…th-this is my fight! I-I don't need help from…fr-from…the Virgo Princess!_ _ ***pant* *pant***_ "

" _ ***sigh***_ _Why are you Scorpios so freaking stubborn?_ Look, Resta. This is not a battle you should be taking part in. If this old goth witch takes your stone, you and your kingdom will fall. You must escape while you still can."

" _B-But…_ "

" _ **Who**_ are you calling an old goth witch?! I'll make you pay with your life for such a remark!" The purple witch shouted as she performed another one of her attacks at us.

" _G-Gah…I-I need to…_ "

" **Delta Virginis!** "

***SLASH***

***BOOM***

" _Wh-What?_ "

"Hmph. You owe me for that." Spille said with confidence after she had used her sword and her power of Virgo to destroy the witch's spell.

" _Y-You really are…h-helping me?_ " I asked as I finally regained the strength to stand again.

"Like I said. This is not a battle you should be taking part in. Take this time to flee. We will fight this witch off."

"We?"

"Tch. You **DARE** in my way, you blonde brat?!" The witch started yelling as her staff started glowing again. Preparing for yet another attack. "Nothing is going to get in my way of obtaining the Scorpio Citrine. Not even meddling nuisances like…"

" **Ascella!** "

***PING***

"Wh-What?!"

_A bow…and at that speed, too…it could only mean one person…_

" _ ***giggle***_ Alright! Another perfect shot! I love never missing!"

"Do not brag at a time like this…" Spille gained an exasperated sweatdrop.

"Sagey? You're here, too?" I asked.

"Of course." The Sagittarius Princess said with her trademarked confident smile. "We may be rivals…but we're also friends, right? We gotta help each other when stuff like this happens."

"I couldn't agree more, Sagey."

"Neva? Raum? You guys, too?" I asked the Capricorn Princess and the Libra Princess respectfully.

"As what Sagey said. We are rivals but mostly friends. We help each other in times of need. Isn't that right, Raum?" Neva asked her, who's only reply was a simple nod.

Raum doesn't talk much. Or like…at all. So nods and facial expressions are the only ways she communicates with others. We've all gotten used to it.

"Oh, great. **MORE** people to deal with." The witch said. "Whatever. No matter how many people show up, nobody will stop me from obtaining the Scorpio Citrine. You will all perish here. Hahahahaha!"

_Man, this witch is cliché…_

***RUMBLE***

***BOOM* *BOOM***

"Wh-What the?!" I yelled after we all heard a loud noise coming from a far distance.

"S-Some of the buildings are collapsing!" Sagey yelled. "This old hag brought a bunch of giant robots with her and they're tearing this kingdom down!"

" **Wh-What?!** "

"Hahahahaha! Do you get it now, child?! Unless you give me the Scorpio Citrine, I will destroy your precious kingdom! If you truly wish to save the last of your home… **HAND! IT! OVER!** "

" _N-No way…_ "

"Resta, now!" Spille yelled. "You must flee this instant!"

"B-But where to?! These giant robots Sagey just mentioned will definitely come after me if I go to any of your kingdoms! I don't want to put more people in danger!"

" _Not to worry, Resta._ " Neva whispered to me. " _Raum used her Libra power to create a portal to a parallel world previously separated by the constellations. You can escape there for the time being._ " Raum then did a single nod to confirm what Neva just said.

"Uh…p-parallel world? I-Is that even…safe?" I gained a worried look.

"Don't worry. Don't worry. It's completely safe. Right, Raum?"

Raum nodded again. Agreeing with Neva once again.

"W-Well…"

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

"Resta, wherever this place is, you have to go! **NOW!** " Spille yelled.

"B-But…"

"Don't worry, girl." Sagey said. "We'll defeat this hag and save your kingdom. Just go on and escape for now."

"We will do our best to win." Neva said. With an added nod from Raum.

"You guys…" I went silent for a bit. " _ ***sigh***_ F-Fine. I-I'll go. I really do owe you guys for this."

"Just remember to protect your stone at all cost." Spille said. "If that is gone, you are powerless."

"I-I know, Spille. I-I know." This was the last thing I said to my four rivals/friends before finally making a run for it. Knowing my personality as a Scorpio, it truly sucks that I actually gave in and I'm now running away from a fight.

But…also because of my Scorpio trait…I'm glad to have such caring friends in my life.

_Someday…I'll return the favor. For all of them._

* * *

***PRESENT TIME***

And so, that's what happened. I was forced to flee from my own kingdom for the safety of myself and the citrine. And I've been walking around this bare field in this "parallel world" that Raum opened up for the past few days now. I'm all sticky and sweaty…and worst of all, the citrine hasn't glowed since I ended up here. The nights would go by and I wouldn't feel anything from it. And that's making me worry.

"Aw, geez. Its power must be low because the constellation isn't visible here. It gets so cloudy at night that I can't really see any of the constellations. Hopefully, it's only temporary."

Staring at the stone again, I couldn't help but think of what happened a few days ago. And how it led me to a completely different world.

"Come to think of it…who was that lady? And why was she after **MY** stone out of all of them. I don't even have the most stars between the five of us. That's Spille."

…

_And now, I just realized that she has more stars_ _**AND** _ _a bigger chest than me. How the hell did she get so lucky?_

"Puyopuyo~"

"H-Huh? Wh-Who…"

"Puyopuyo~"

I looked down at my feet to see a…green weird-looking jelly blob staring right back at me. Its eyes were so…neutral. Almost like it has no emotion whatsoever.

It was kinda creepy…but also intriguing.

"Uh…h-hey, little guy." I spoke to it. "Wh-What exactly are you?"

"Puyopuyo~"

_Wh-What?_

"Uh…can you tell me where I am?"

"Puyopuyo~"

_I-I have no idea what it's saying…_

"Puyopuyo~"

"Huh? H-Hey, wait a second! I'm still lost!" I shouted at the blob as I started following it across the field. Believe it or not, but I actually lost sight of it rather quickly. Despite it hoping the whole way, it damn sure is fast.

" _ ***whine***_ _Aw, geez. Am I ever gonna find out where I am?_ "

Then just a few feet from me, I saw a sign posted into the ground. And out of curiosity, I walked up to it to see what it says.

""Primp Town: 1 ½ Miles Away" So, this world is called…Primp Town? What the heck is a primp? _***sigh***_ Well, at least I finally found civilization. I could _**really**_ use a shower right now."

And so, I started my trek to this place known as Primp Town. Hopefully, I get used to being here.

Because it's going to be my new home for a good long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An idea that I'm making a second attempt on. A crossover fic between Puyo Puyo and Neptunia (more info on the latter will come in a later chapter). Unlike the first one, I'm a lot more confident with this one. Here why.
> 
> The main character of this story is a girl named Resta. A character from Puyo Puyo Quest (a Japanese-exclusive mobile game). In fact, Resta, Sagey, Neva, Spille, and Raum are all from that game and are known as the Astrology Girls.
> 
> Also, this story's going to have many references to the Zodiac and the constellations each astrological sign has. Keep in mind that the five being referenced are Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Virgo, and Libra.
> 
> So, by the time this chapter will be up, I'll have 2 others completed. I'm going to wait a little for each as it'll be easier to track the views they get. Spamming all three at once will give out "inaccurate numbers", as I've noticed in the past.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	2. The Stone

Hello. My name is Lidelle Namanari. Known for my short & petite body and green hair which hides most of my horns. I may look like an innocent 15-year-old girl, but I'm actually a lot more. For I am the Demonic Princess. Daughter of the late & great Demon King Namanari and a member of the Royal Family of Hell.

I would go into more detail about all of that. But currently…

" _ARF ARF!_ "

" _ ***moan***_ _Poochy…_ "

" _ARF ARF!_ "

" _Come on, Poochy. Last night's Mario Kart Tournament tired me out and I just wanna sleep~._ "

" _ ***whine***_ " ***LICK* *LICK* *LICK***

"O-Okay, Poochy! I'm up! I'm up! Just ease up with the licking, please!" I yelled as my lost soul dog was licking my face repeatedly to get me out of bed. All while trying not to break down laughing. His tongue _**really**_ tickles.

" _ ***sigh***_ Geez, Poochy. You're the only one in this house that has so much energy this early in the morning."

" _ARF ARF!_ "

Yeah…this is a normal thing for me. The night before I'm always up until 3:00, 4:00, sometimes 5:00 in the morning participating in Mario Kart tournaments to keep my title as a Mario Kart Elitist. And then a few hours later, Poochy would come in my room and lick me repeatedly until I get up.

This may sound like a pain. But I'm actually used to it. I only ever need about 5-6 hours of sleep every day. So I don't wake up all grouchy or anything.

Although, waking up with a face covered in dead dog drool isn't all that great…

" _ ***giggle***_ Well, alright. Let's go get something to eat."

" _ARF ARF! ARF!_ " Poochy barked with glee as he left without me for the kitchen. Phasing through the wall in the process.

…

That's also normal. Don't question it too much.

Poochy and I reached the kitchen in our house and I was figuring out what to make for breakfast. I'm in charge of cooking for everyone. So, this was the norm for me.

" _ ***sigh***_ Now, let's see…bread, eggs, butter…what can I make with these?"

" _ARF ARF!_ "

"French toast? But we had that a few days ago. Plus, it's too simple. I'll never get full from that."

" _ARF?_ "

"Hey, I do get full. It just takes a huge meal for it to happen, that's all."

" _ARF ARF ARF…_ " Poochy shook his head.

"Like you're one to talk, Poochy." I grew insulted. Then went back to looking. "Well, we got hot chocolate, marshmallows, and…a coconut. For some reason."

_I don't remember buying this…_

" _ARF?_ " Poochy titled his head.

"Well…I can think of something to make with these." I said with a smile.

And so, with the stuff I pointed out earlier, I began making breakfast. Cooking the French toast was a simple thing. Making this hot cocoa ganache thing was the complete opposite. It was so fancy and complicated that I think this is something Raffina would eat.

…

Well…either that, or Raina would just shove it down her throat. That girl just **LOVES** sweets.

" _And…_ it's done. Breakfast is complete." I said as I proudly stared at 8 plates of my newest food creation.

" _ARF! ARF ARF ARF!_ "

"Okay, boy. Calm down. I'll get yours in a sec."

" _ARF ARF!_ "

" _ ***yawn***_ _Good morning, Sweetie._ "

"Good morning, Mother." I said with a bow. "Breakfast is ready now."

" _It isn't something_ _ ***yawn***_ _over the top again, is it?_ "

…

…

…

" _Well…_ " Was all I said.

This is my mother. Yumi Namanari. Unlike my late father, brother, and myself, she's 100% human. But she's just as involved with anything Hell-related as Satan and I are.

It's just the two of us that live in this house. As after my father, the previous demon king, had passed away, we both moved up to the surface while my brother Satan, the current demon king, often switches between living in Hell and living in a castle he built up here.

He does come by to visit. But 9 times out of 10, when he visits…he just talks about Arle. And it gets annoying _**real**_ fast.

But he's my brother and I love him. So, I just put up with it. As much as I don't want to sometimes.

"Um…Lidelle. What is this?" Mother asked me as she stared at the plate of French toast in front of her.

"My newest food creation, Mother. French toast ganache sandwiches dipped in a hot cocoa mixture, cooked to a golden crisp, and topped with coconut whipped cream, toasted marshmallows, toasted coconut, and a good drizzle of more ganache. I call it…Hot Chocolate French Toast! _***giggle***_ "

"Um…I see." Mother gained a sweatdrop. "You sure are… _ **creative**_ when it comes to cooking, Sweetie."

" _ ***giggle***_ Thank you, Mother." I smiled.

"By the way…why are there 8 plates of this stuff?"

"Well, that's because…"

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Oh, they're here. I'll get it, Mother. You can start eating my _**delicious**_ French toast."

"E-Eat it? L-Lidelle, I can't possibly…"

"Coming!" I yelled out as I left Mother alone with her plate of food. I know that there's no way she can possibly eat that much food. I just like to tease her about it sometimes. It's pretty funny.

As for who's at the door…every so often, I have my friends come over for breakfast mainly because it's difficult to get some on their own. N-Not because they don't get fed or anything. It's well…they're complicated people.

You'll see what I mean.

"Good morning, Feli."

"Moring, Lidelle. You're surprisingly up early this morning."

"Hehheh. Yeah…all thanks to Poochy."

"I see."

This is one of my friends, Feli Kuromi. She's the same age as me and…well, she's pretty much short and petite like me, too. Although, she hates it whenever it's brought up to her.

Unlike me, however, Feli is purely human. But that doesn't exactly make her normal. She's a master of a set of charms called the Occult Art of Divination. And use them a lot for either Puyo battles or some miscellaneous stuff.

…

The miscellaneous stuff you gotta watch out for. Take it from me.

"So, is breakfast ready yet?" Feli asked.

"Yeah, it's done. I've got something _**truly**_ delicious in store this morning."

"Aw, geez." Feli gained a sweatdrop. "Sounds like you created a new breakfast type again."

" _ ***giggle***_ Yep. Sure did."

" _ ***sigh***_ I hope it's not over the top again. Three bites of that last one and both Amitie and I were already full."

"Oh, come on. You two are just too worried about getting fat."

"No. It's because we don't have black holes for a stomach." Feli retorted with a pissed off look.

" _ ***sigh***_ Whatever." I said. "Where is Amitie, anyway?"

"Oh, yeah. She said to just bring her plate over to her house. She's apparently busy with something."

"Busy with what?"

"I'm…not sure. The text she sent me said something about…saving Minia from the Mukadensus."

"What the hell is a Mukadensu?" I gained a highly confused look.

"I have no idea, Lidelle…" Feli said with an exasperated look and tone.

"Right…Well…Mother, I'm heading over to Amitie's."

"You mean you're not eating?" Mother asked.

"I didn't say that." I rushed over to the kitchen, grabbed my plate of Hot Chocolate French Toast, and snarfed it down in one bite. Not even a single struggle when chewing or swallowing.

" _Ah~._ Delicious."

"L-Lidelle…" Mother said with a huge sweatdrop.

" **S-Seriously! Do you even HAVE a stomach?!** " Feli yelled.

" _ ***giggle***_ _Maybe…_ " I teased with a smile on my stuffed face.

* * *

Minutes later, Feli and I were heading over to Amitie's house to deliver her plate of food.

…

And to see what she meant by "saving Minia from the Mukadensus". It may make no sense, but it also piqued my interest a little.

I mean, who wouldn't get interested over something as random as that?

"Today sure seems peaceful." I said.

"Yeah…" Feli agreed. "…But knowing this town, it won't be long until something weird happens."

"Yeah, that's true. We are famous for being "that town in which a normal day doesn't exist". Speaking of which, is Mao still over in Toyama?"

"Yeah, she is. Though, she did call me this morning before I left. She said that they're just about to wrap up the last bit of filming and that she'll be back tomorrow."

"Oh. Well, that's nice."

Mao Kuromi is Feli's older sister. The two live together in a house not that far from mine. And, like her younger sister, Mao is a master at the Occult Art of Divination (the same warning applies, too).

The only thing that's different between the two is that Mao is some sort of a TV star. Going by the allies "Erica-chan" and currently stars in a TV show called "Magical Girl Sweetie Pie Monica's Heart-Filed Miracle Cure Deluxe".

…

Yes, I know. The name is absolutely ridiculous.

Anyway…Mao occasionally goes over to a separate world known as Toyama to participate in these filming sessions. Leaving Feli here alone most of the time. So, that's why she often comes over to my place for breakfast.

I don't mind, really. It gives me a chance to show off my creative cooking skills. _***giggle***_

"So, what do you think Amitie's doing over there?" Feli asked me. "Based on that text she sent me, it must be something weird."

"Minia…Mukadensus…yeah, sounds weird to me." I then went silent for a bit. "Although…it kinda sounds like something you would hear in a fantasy game of sorts."

"A video game? What video game would have that kind of non…"

***BAM***

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going, you blind idiot!" Feli yelled after she had bumped into a girl with dark marron-like hair with a long braid. Causing them both to fall to the floor.

"Ah! I-I'm so sorry! I-I wasn't paying attention! Please excuse me!" The girl was the first to get up. She panickily bowed before running off in the opposite direction of where we were coming from.

"Geez, Feli. That wasn't a bit much?" I asked.

"What? It's not my fault she bumped into me. She was lucky I wasn't in a bad mood or else I've would've… _ **Kieeeeeeeeeee!**_ "

"Wh-What?"

" _Can you feel it, Lidelle~?! I sense a great power coming from a short distance~! The level of it all is surging electricity down my spine~! It is so…so…exhilarating~! Fufufufu~!_ "

"What?" I gained a sweatdrop. Then at the corner of my eye, I saw something shiny on the ground. It was a weird orange-like trigonal stone with an even weirder symbol engraved on it. "Huh? What's this thing?"

" _ ***gasp***_ _That is it~! That is the source of power, Lidelle~! We have found the power jackpot~! Give it to me~! I must have it~! Fufufufu~!_ "

"Calm down, you power-hungry loli."

" _I-I'm not a loli!_ " Feli whined. Letting her second personality kick in.

"And besides. I think that girl dropped it when she bumped into you."

"Huh? You think it's hers? Why would she have something containing this much power?"

"As if I know." I then took a second look at the weird stone. "Hey, Feli. This black symbol…do you know what this means?"

"Symbol?" Feli then looked at the stone with me. "Hey, wait. That's a Zodiac sign. Specifically, the one for Scorpio."

"Zodiac?" I sounded confused.

"The Zodiac is a group of constellations in space that lie near the ecliptic, or the path of the Sun, across over the course of the year. It's divided into 12 signs, one for each month, and is now commonly used for horoscopic astrology."

"Wow…you sure know a lot about this, Feli." I was truly amazed by her explanation.

"When you're a master at the Occult Art of Divination, stuff like this is simply common knowledge." Feli chuckled to herself due to the praise I gave her.

"Right…" I then looked at the stone one last time. Thinking of what to do with it. "So, should we go return it to that girl?"

"No point in doing it now. She's long gone. Maybe after we see Amitie we'll go look for her and see what's up with this thing."

"Eh. Fair enough."

And so, with the stone in my pocket, the two of us continued our walk to Amitie's. Our list of curiosity now bigger thanks to this mysterious stone.

…

Still doesn't beat the Mukadensu, though. I _**really**_ want to know what that is.

* * *

**Resta's POV**

"Man, that girl was scary. I seriously felt something when I bumped into her. Not to mention that she was rather hostile after the fact. It really sent a chill down my spine."

_I just hope that not everyone in this Primp place isn't like that._

" _ ***sigh***_ Anyway. I should get back to figuring out how to fix this…" I then began to frantically pat myself all over my body. And when I couldn't feel anything, my face went completely pale.

" _A-A-Aw, crap…_ **I LOST THE CITRINE!** "

Then, still in panic mode, I began searching the floor to see if I dropped it somewhere. With no luck, I got back up in a depressed state of mind.

"Aw, damn. I can't believe I lost it. The source of my power and I lost it so carelessly. **How can I be so freaking stupid?!** " I yelled in anger as I punched a nearby tree.

…

" **Ow!** " And instantly regretted it after the pain it gave my hand.

"Hey, I wouldn't punch that tree if I were you."

"Huh?" I turned to see a girl with blue hair made into a ponytail and had two average-sized horns coming out of her head. She wore a white t-shirt underneath a light-blue short-sleeved jacket with gold bracelets on both arms, blue shorts, and a pair of turquoise rainboots.

There was also a bunch of smoke coming out of her. I'm not entirely sure how that's possible. But I guess I'll let that go for now.

"I said you really shouldn't punch this tree." The girl said as she walked up to me. "This is one of the hardest trees in town. Unless you got some real strength, it'll probably break your hand."

"S-Seriously? **That** hard?"

"Yeah. But few are able to withstand the hardness of it. Me, this other girl I know…and from the looks of it, you look pretty fine yourself."

"Huh." I said while looking at my slightly swollen hand. "I guess I just got lucky, then."

"Why were you punching it, anyway? Something on your mind?"

"Why was I…" I then remembered why I have this slightly swollen hand in the first place. " **Gah! That's right! The citrine!** "

"The what?" The girl looked confused.

"H-Hey. Have you seen this orange-like trigonal stone with a black symbol engraved on it? I dropped it somewhere."

"No, sorry. Never saw it."

" _Aw, man. I'm so screwed._ " I grumbled to myself.

"Whatever it is, it sounds important to you."

"Yeah, it is. I have these…special powers and that stone is the source of it. Without it, I'm powerless."

"I see. So, do you remember where you dropped it?"

"Uh…let me think…" I thought to myself for a bit.

Then…

_W-Wait a second! Could it be that I dropped it when I bumped into that girl earlier?! If that's the case, then she must've found it! H-Hopefully._

"I remember bumping into this girl earlier. She was kinda short, long purple hair, gave a chill down my spine…"

"Hmm…Hey, wait that's Feli."

"Feri?"

"Feli. With an "L". She's this girl who does these occult charms and stuff. You probably dropped this stone thing when you bumped into her. She probably might have it, too."

"I see. So, it is possible. Can you take me to her?! Please?!" I begged.

"W-Well, I'm not exactly sure where she is right now. Though, we could go check her house. It shouldn't be that far from here."

" _ ***sigh***_ Well, it's a start. Thanks for helping me out, uh…wait, we don't know each other, do we?"

"Oh, yeah. We don't." The girl rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I'm Jarne. The Super Djinn. Nice to meet ya."

"And my name is Resta. It's nice to meet you, Jarne." I said with a bow.

_I should probably hold off on telling people that I'm a princess from a different world. At least, for now._

"Same here, Resta. Now, let's go find that stone of yours! Ja-ja-ja-jaan!" Jarne then grabbed my arm and dragged me along as we looked for the citrine. It's safe to say that I've made my first friend since coming to this parallel world.

_Although…Jarne does remind me of Sagey a lot. Their personalities are near identical._

…

_Just how "parallel" is this world?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not even a few hours after finding Primp Town and Resta already gets herself in trouble. And Lidelle deals with Feli's split personality as they find a mysterious stone on the floor. Are these incidents related?
> 
> …
> 
> Yes. Yes, they are. I mean, it's pretty obvious that they are. Otherwise, I wouldn't have written it. Duh.
> 
> Next chapter is when the Neptunia side gets introduced. And I'll explain why & how I'm doing this story. Plus, a few differences for each series.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	3. Dimension Cousins

Hello-! The name's Amitie! I'm a student of the Primp Magic School in the peaceful Primp Town! My dream is to become a wonderful magician. I'm not that great at studying, and maybe a bit clumsy, but I'm always the cheerful one. Nice to meet you!

And, uh…I would go into more detail about myself. But right now, I'm kinda busy.

With what, you ask? _Well…_

"You've reached Absymbel! It's the Boss Rush stage! Keep on pushing, Amitie!"

"Right!" I yelled as I mashed the buttons on my controller to shoot down all these bosses. First was Godarni, the two dragons attached to each other. They spit out three fireballs each. Making them rather a pain to deal with. But not entirely difficult.

Next was the Barbarian. A creepy-looking floating old guy head that surrounds itself with a bunch of those Looper things. Once you get rid of them, the guy goes down in just a few hits.

Third was Squilla. Can't believe they threw the first boss at me. The thing was nothing more than a joke.

Forth boss was…ah, crap. The Idas. These giant stone face carvings weren't that tough on their own. But the boss version was _**so**_ hard. I remember constantly dying on this one back in Geeza. Such an unfair difficulty spike!

For the fifth boss, it was a rematch against Salpedon. It's basically a skeletal version of Godarni. Not that much different.

Syura was the sixth boss I had to face again. It was another floating-head-shielded-by-enemies type of boss. Only this one isn't an old man's head and is just a stone face. And the shield was just a bunch of rocks. Probably the most normal-looking boss in the whole game.

"One more boss to go! You're so close, Amitie!"

"I can do this! I can do this!"

The seventh boss…it was Valda. A skeletal version of Squilla. Unlike its living counterpart, though, this one's actually a challenge. Its movement speed is a lot faster and it shoots out more fireballs. It made a lot of sense to make this one the final boss of the game. Even if it is just a reskin.

Or rather…lack of skin.

" _Come on…just a few more hits…just a few more and…_ "

Once the thing went down, we saw the words "CONGRATULATIONS YOU WIN" appear on the screen in all caps. And it was clear to us as to what it means.

" _Get real…I won._ **I won! I beat the game!** "

"Nice going, Amitie! I knew my special cousin was just as good at retro games as I was!" Said a lilac-haired girl who was cheering me on the whole time.

" _ ***giggle***_ Thanks, Neptune. You were totally right. Retro games are fun and exhilarating."

"See? I told you." My cousin said with a smile on her face.

…

O-Oh, yeah. I should probably explain that, huh? Well…this lilac-haired girl with bangs and white hair-clips in the shape of D-pads, wearing a black & purple jacket-like dress with blue stripes in some areas and these really cool purple & white sneakers with a purple bow and a single N on each… is my cousin Neptune. She came by to visit me and brought this retro game of hers called Space Harrier for me to try out. And man, was it a blast!

Anyway…you're probably wondering where Neptune is visiting from, right? Well…she's actually from an entirely different dimension.

…

D-Don't look at me like that! It's true!

She's from this place called Gamindustri, which resides in this other dimension known as Hyper Dimension. I would prove it…but I've never actually been there myself. As to how we're cousins…

…

…L-Let's just say Mom made things complicated again. A common thing she does for some reason.

_Despite her being known for being extremely lazy._

"So. What do you wanna do now? Play another round?" Neptune asked me.

"Eh, I don't know…that game was rather long and I haven't eaten anything yet. I told my friends to bring my share of food from breakfast this morning."

" _Ooh~._ You're friends, huh? I haven't seen any of them yet. Let me meet them!"

"Don't you have to go back soon?"

"Meh, it's fine. Nobody knows where I am so Histy ain't gonna bug me to come back."

"You should've at least told someone, Neptune…" I gained a sweatdrop.

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Oh, that's them. You said you wanted to meet them? Just don't do anything weird, okay?"

"Amitie, I am **SHOCKED**. Why would I, Neptune…CPU of Planeptune and the greatest protag of all time, do anything weird?"

"You just proved my point." I said as I headed for the door.

"Hey!"

I opened the door to see that my friends Lidelle and Feli had finally came over. Along with the food that I said to bring with them. Thank God because I'm so freaking starving.

"Yay! Food's here!" I cheered as I grabbed the plate from Lidelle's hands.

"Nice to see you too, Amitie." Lidelle said sarcastically. "So, where's my delivery fee?"

"Up your butt to the left. _***giggle***_ "

"Seriously?"

" _Saw that coming from a mile away._ " Feli said while trying to hold in her laughter.

" _ ***sigh***_ So, what were you doing that required us to bring your food over?" Lidelle asked me.

"Oh, yeah. I was playing video games with my cousin."

"Your…cousin?" Both girls were confused.

"I didn't know you had a cousin, Amitie." Feli said.

"Of course, I do. In fact, she actually wants to meet you guys. Come on."

The two were still mildly shocked and confused about it. But they agreed to come inside and meet Neptune. The introductions went rather well (for this world's standards, at least).

That is until Neptune brought up the fact that she's from a different dimension. Then all hell broke loose.

" _ **Kieeeeeeeeeee!**_ **No freaking way! A different dimension?! So, that means there are other sources of power out there, right?! Right?!** _ **Tell me! I must know! Fufufufu!**_ "

Mainly from Feli.

"W-Wow, Amitie. Y-Your friend is uh…" Neptune didn't really know how to react to that.

"Sorry about that. Feli can be a bit of a power-hungry loli at times."

" _Quit calling me a loli!_ " Feli whined.

"Sh-She changed on an instant?!"

"She has a split personality." Lidelle added.

"I-I see…" Was all Neptune wanted to say about that.

"So…you two are cousins from totally separate dimensions, huh? How exactly did that happen?"

"Well…" I started explaining. "…About two months ago, Mom found this old photo album in the basement, and in it was this weird family tree of sorts."

"Family tree?"

"It had everyone on it. Me, Rivitie, Mom, Dad _who is now deceased…_ " I whispered that last part to myself.

_I really do miss him, okay?_

"…Grandparents, aunts & uncles from Mom's side…and then at the bottom left corner was this huge smudge. And wiping it off revealed a picture of Neptune. Claiming that I was her "dimension cousin" or something like that."

"Dimension cousin?" Feli asked.

"Nice name, right? I came up with it myself." Neptune said.

"So…you guys have the same DNA and such?"

"Yep, pretty much." We both said.

"Even… _ **that**_ DNA?"

" _ **That**_ DNA? What's she talking about, Amitie?" Neptune asked me.

"U-Uh…" I stuttered.

What Feli meant by that is…I'm what's known as…the Light Soul. A power based on a mostly false legend created by my mom. With its original purpose being to seal away my now twin sister. It led to me fighting a fallen angel for the safety of two separate worlds. And after that, I was told that the legend and its powers were erased from existence.

But after a rematch with an old rival, I learn that such a thing wasn't the case.

So, now I'm learning how to control my powers and use them for my new everyday life. Which means controlling the short-tempered personality that came with it whenever someone calls me…a specific four-lettered word that I rather not say right now.

As to why I'm nervous right now…I-I never told Neptune about this other side of me. And I thought I wouldn't have to, either. But since Feli brought it up so nonchalantly…

_A-Aw, crap. I-I'm gonna have to tell her, am I?_

"W-Well, I…"

***RINGTONE CHIME***

"Huh? Someone's phone's ringing?" Feli asked.

_Oh, thank God. I'm saved._

"Aw, crap. It's mine." Neptune said in a disgruntled tone before answering this smartwatch thing on her arm. "Hello?"

" _Neptune! I had a feeling that you would be over there! Trying to escape your duties again, are we?_ "

"Aw come on, Histy! I just wanted to play with Amitie a little!"

" _A little?! Neptune, it has been an entire day since anyone has last seen you!_ "

"Still counts." Neptune pouted.

" _Neptune…_ "

"S-Sorry, about this, Histoire." I spoke out. "We were having so much fun together that we kinda lost track of time. I didn't mean to keep her longer than intended. However long that was."

" _ ***sigh***_ _Thank you, Amitie. At least you can be mature about this, unlike a certain CPU I know._ "

" _Way to diss me out, Amitie._ " Neptune whispered to me.

" _As for you, Neptune. It looks like I'll have to give you a long detailed lecture about being responsible for your duties. Again._ "

" _Aw, what? Another one? I might as well stay here if that's what's waiting for me._ "

" _Wh-What?!_ "

"Neptune, just go. Before you make things worse for yourself." I said.

" _ ***sigh***_ Fine. I'll be there soon."

" _Thank you for talking some sense into her, Amitie. And I shall await your return, Neptune._ "

The call ended and Neptune was pretty much pissed off that I sucked up to her "Oracle". Whatever that is.

"Geez, Amitie. Now, I'm _**really**_ gonna get it this time."

"Sorry. Look, I'll make it up sometime. I swear."

"Hmm…would you stock up on more pudding next time?"

"Pudding?" Both Lidelle and Feli asked.

"My most favorite thing in the world."

"Huh…"

"Yeah, sure. Just go before I get chewed out too."

"Fine, fine. I'm going." Neptune said as she got up from the floor. "It was nice meeting ya both, Lidelle and Feli."

"Same here, Neptune." Lidelle said.

" _You must tell me more about this other dimension the next time we meet. I cannot be left in the unknown about such a place existing. Fufufufu._ "

"Feli…" Lidelle and I gained a sweatdrop.

"Sure thing, creepy loli."

" _Wh-What?! I-I'm not a loli!_ "

With a necklace containing a _**special**_ crystal around her neck, Neptune opened up a dimensional portal to her own dimension and jumped inside of it. the portal closing on its own just seconds later.

"Well…your cousin's pretty interesting, Amitie." Lidelle said.

"Yeah…that's one way to describe her." I gained a sweatdrop. "Anyway…don't just casually bring up my Light Soul stuff, Feli. I was in a mental panic just now."

"Wait, so you _**haven't**_ told her?"

"No. And I don't think I can, either. Even though I already know that she isn't a normal human."

"She's not a normal human? Is she stupidly immortal like Lidelle?"

"Hey!" Lidelle grew insulted.

"Well, kinda." Was all I said.

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"You expecting more visitors, Amitie?" Lidelle asked.

"No, not really. I wonder who…"

"Hey, Amitie! You home?!" We heard a voice coming from outside.

"Jarne? Wow, she rarely comes over here. Not without Yu, I mean. What could she want?"

I went to open the front door and in front of me were Jarne and a girl that I've never seen before. Her hair was red-like and was made into a _**really**_ long braid. Almost as long as her whole entire body.

_It's so neat-o! If I had hair that long I would totally make it like that!_

"Hey, Jarne. What's up?"

"Hiya, Amitie. Quick question. Is Feli here?"

"Huh? Feli?"

_First she comes to my house and now she wants to talk to Feli? Jarne sure is breaking the normal today._

"Y…Yeah, she's here." I said. "Hey, Feli. Jarne wants to talk to you for a sec."

"Seriously?" Feli asked as she and Lidelle came to the door with me. "What's up, Jarne?"

"Hey, Feli. Do you remember picking up this orange stone or something? My friend here is looking for it."

"Friend?" Feli then looked at the girl next to Jarne. And grew a shocked look on her face. " **H-Hey, wait! You're the girl who bumped into me earlier!** "

"I'm truly sorry for doing that." The girl said. "But I _**really**_ need the citrine back. My life literally depends on it."

"The what?" The three of us asked.

"It's orange-like, trigonal-shaped, has a black symbol engraved on it…"

"Wowie. Sounds like a weird…gem thingy." I said.

"Now that you describe it…Lidelle, didn't we find something like that earlier?" Feli asked her.

"We did. I still have it in my pocket." Lidelle then took out this orange gem from her pocket and showed it to everyone.

That's when…

" **Gah! That's it! That's the Scorpio Citrine!** "

"The…Scorpio Citrine?" The four of us were confused as to what this girl had said. All while I looked at the gem in Lidelle's hand…and instantly gained a thought.

_I feel like something totally insane is going to happen soon…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have the two series officially crossover. I've been actually wanting to do a Puyo Puyo X Neptunia story for a while now. Even doing several attempts at it before this one (for example, a story in which Amitie and Neptune are cousins and the former introduces the latter to her friends). But it just didn't work. Though, I'm rather confident in this one.
> 
> So, with Amitie being this "Light Soul" thing is from a story I did over a year ago called Puyo Puyo: Dream Land Invasion. A Puyo Puyo X Kirby story. This story isn't completely canon that that one (there will be minor references to it, though). But if you want a better understanding of how Amitie is, I recommend reading chapters 14, 16, 23, and 48.
> 
> As for Neptune…I can't go into detail with her yet. All I can say right now is that I changed her outfit. Her differences will be revealed as the story goes on.
> 
> Also, here's a little fun fact about both series. For you Puyo readers, I'm sure you know who Compile is (or, in this case, was). They worked on the Puyo games up until Puyo Puyo Box. After that, SEGA fully bought the series (as part of some other things that's too lengthy to point out), and Compile went out of business in 2003.
> 
> But then, just 3 years later, Compile Heart was founded. Managed by the same person who created the original company and had rights to Puyo Puyo. And now, they're mainly known for Neptunia. So, the two series are a lot more connected than some people might think. I sure was blown away when I put two and two together.
> 
> Wow, I wrote a lot for an endnote. Hopefully, it won't be this long again in the future. Thanks for reading. Later.


	4. Neptune's New Negativity

" **HELLOOOO, READERS!** Name's Neptune, The cute and lovable Protag of all Protags! I'm the CPU of Planeptune and one of the goddesses of Gamindustri! I may look and act immature. But my name's in the title for a reason! Pretty nepping sweet, huh?

But you what's **NOT** nepping sweet? Histy nagging your ear off about being "responsible" and "mature" for the nth time. As if can't be any of those things if I bet my life on it. I wouldn't have four freaking games if that was the case.

_I'm still rather pissed that Amitie sold me out like that. Us family members are supposed to stick together, you know._

" _Ugh. It's over. I got through another one of Histy's lectures. Such a drag._ " I complained as I laid my head on the table in front of me.

"You kinda deserved it for running off like that, Neptune." Nepgear said to me.

"You really had us worried, Nep-Nep." Compa added.

"Why? It's not like I wasn't going to come back. I just needed a little break, that's all."

"Break from what?" Iffy asked. "You barely do any work and leave most of it to Gear."

"She has a point, Nepsy." Uzume added.

"What? I do work! You just don't notice it when I do it!"

"That has to be the lamest excuse I've ever heard…" Iffy and the others gained a sweatdrop.

Okay, okay. I should probably explain who are all these people I'm talking to, huh? Well, I don't feel like going into full detail with all of them. So, I'll just abridge it.

First off, my little sister Nepgear. She's what's known as CPU Candidate. Meaning that she'll take over once I step down or something like that.

_As if that will ever happen._

A lot of people describe her as the complete opposite of me. Personality, intelligence, appearance ( _ **especially**_ _appearance. She has a bigger chest than me_ )…but I don't let that bother me. Most of the time.

Next is Iffy. Well, her name's IF. But I call her Iffy. It's like a nickname. She's this tomboyish-looking brown-haired girl with a leafy green bow and a blue coat that looks **WAY** too big on her. She's a good friend of ours and a member of Planeptune's Guild.

She also carries a bunch of cell phones with here. Often treats them like they're like her babies or something. Ha! What a freak!

…

D-Don't tell her I said that.

Then there's Compa. She's a kind and caring girl with long light congo-pink hair with matching eyes, wearing a tan-white wool sweater top, and a red plaid skirt. Another good friend of ours, Compa's a nurse-in-training at a nearby hospital. No matter what happens, she's always there to heal up our wounds. Such a good party member to have around.

And finally, there's Uzume Tennouboshi. A girl with long red pigtail-like hair and wears…some kind of school uniform type thing (I never bothered to ask). She's actually the previous CPU of Planeptune. But was sealed off in another dimension due to her illusion power going out of whack.

After some in-game events that are too long to talk about, she and her friends from that other dimension came back to our dimension with us. And now, she watches over me rule the very same nation she once ruled before. Pretty nepping cool, right?

So, that's all of them. There are more out there. But…they're not relevant right now. Maybe later, though.

"So, where did you go, Nep?" Iffy asked. "It's almost like you left this universe completely or something."

"Well, that's because I did."

"Wh-What?" Iffy, Compa, and Uzume gained confused looks.

"I went to a different dimension to visit our cousin."

"Y-You have a _**cousin**_?!" And then those confused looks turned to looks of shock.

"Yep. Pretty cool, right?"

"Neptune, don't be so nonchalant about it." Nepgear gained a sweatdrop.

"Ge-Ge, is what Nep-Nep said true?" Compa asked.

"Yes, it's true. We have a cousin that lives in a different dimension. Her name is Amitie."

"Amitie? Kinda odd that her name doesn't start with an N." Uzume said. "How'd ya even find this out, anyway?"

"Histoire found this odd file in the system one day and it was mildly corrupted. After cleaning it, it was revealed to be a family tree of sorts. And at the bottom left corner was apparently the source of the corruption…a picture of Amitie claiming to be our cousin."

"And you believed it?" Iffy asked.

"Well, we did meet and got tested and all that jazz." I said. "And we're 100% related."

"100%, huh? If that's the case, then she can transform using HDD, right?"

"U-Um, well…no. She can't. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's fully human."

"Fully human? So, she's not a CPU?"

"Nope. Just your average 17-year-old girl."

"17? So, you two are goddesses and yet you have a normal teenage girl as a cousin. Hope she's okay with that."

" _Well…_ " Nepgear and I slowly looked away from the others with nervous looks on our faces. And with Iffy's good attention-to-detail skills, it didn't take her long to figure out why.

"Wait, a minute…you two never told her, did you?"

"Aw, shucks. She figured it out…" I said.

"Read us like an open book…" Nepgear added.

"So, she has no idea that you two are the CPU and CPU Candidate of an entire nation?" Uzume asked.

"Well, not exactly…" I said.

"She knows we're CPUs…" Nepgear added. "…but we didn't really tell her what that actually means."

"We didn't tell her about the other CPUs, HDD…hell, she doesn't even know that we don't age. As far as she knows, we're just as normal as she is."

"So, she's **completely** in the dark about how your lives work?" Iffy asked. "Do you at least have any intention of telling her?"

…

…

…

"N…N-Not really." We both answered with mildly shameful looks.

"Seriously?"

"Nep-Nep. Ge-Ge. You shouldn't lie to your cousin like this." Compa said.

"We know, Compa." I said. "But telling a long-lost family member who you recently met that you're an immortal goddess that rules over an entire nation…that you have insanely God-like powers and that there are others that are like this isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world."

I then thought for a bit.

"Or…dimension. Now that I think about it."

"There were times in which we thought of telling her…" Nepgear said. "…but then we went against it. There's just no telling how she would react to it all."

"They each do possess a point." Histy said as she joined up with us. "Telling Amitie such information is highly risky. Other dimensional affairs should not be toyed with."

"You say that, Histoire." Iffy said. "But haven't these two been to two completely separate dimensions and interfered with their affairs?"

"I can easily confirm that." Uzume added. "Not that it was a bad thing or anything."

"That…is true." Histy gained a sweatdrop.

"Hmmm…"

"What's wrong, Compa? You've been silent for a while." I asked her.

"Well…you said that Amitie is 17, right? Is she older or younger than you?"

"Duh. She's totally younger than me."

" _ **Really**_?" Everyone questioned that statement.

"What?"

" _ **You're**_ older than her?" Iffy asked. "Then how old are **YOU** , Nep?"

"Hmph. Well, that's a bit rude to ask ain't it, Iffy?" I pouted.

"I'm just saying. Even though it can't be exact since neither you nor Gear age at all due to being goddesses, I find it hard to believe that you're older. Judging by your personality and physical appearance.

"It's kinda the reason why people often mistake Gearsy as the older sister." Uzume said.

"Yeah…I can see it, too." Compa added.

"You too, Compa?"

"Sorry, Nep-Nep. But Iffy does have a point. Ge-Ge is taller, more mature, and has bigger breasts than you. By a longshot."

"That last one's probably the most shocking of them all." Iffy said.

"It does bring confusion to most of the citizens here." Histy added.

"Um…can we please leave my breasts out of this conversation?" Nepgear gained a sweatdrop.

"W-Woah, woah, woah! Hold up!" I was beyond pissed at this moment. "How can you all deny the fact that I'm older than my cousin?!"

"Well, how would you describe her?" Iffy asked.

"Well, for starters, I'm older than her!"

" _ ***sigh***_ Well, asking you is gonna get us nowhere. What about you, Gear?"

"Well…thinking about it, Neptune and Amitie are the same height. They're also the same weight, have similar hairstyles…"

…

"…and they are kinda flat-chested."

" **Nepgear!** " I shouted with a mild blush.

"Sorry, Neptune. But it is true."

"So, that means…Nep-Nep is 17-years-old!" Compa said.

"Wh-Wh-What?! I may not have an age…but if I did, it would definitely **NOT** be 17!"

"Why? It makes sense to me." Iffy said.

"I can totally see it, Nepsy. Basing on how Gearsy described your cousin." Uzume added.

" _Ugh!_ This is nepping ridiculous! Just because I happen to be short, flat, and immature, doesn't mean that I can't be the older cousin! I mean…I'm the freaking main character of this series! Do you know how long I've held this title without anyone questioning it?!"

"No. Not really, Nep-Nep." Compa said.

"It kinda comes back to my question on how old are you." Iffy added.

"W-Well…I-I'm older than Nepgear! That should be enough, right?!"

" _Well_ …" Both Iffy, Compa, and Uzume went dead silent on me.

" **Un-nepping-believable!** "

"Well, Neptune. I hope this serves as an eye-opener for you." Histy said to me.

"Eye-opener for what?! I basically got insulted for being short and flat!"

"While there is nothing you can do about the short and flat problems…"

_Way to be encouraging, Histy…_

"…This is the perfect opportunity to mature and act your age. 17 or not."

" _You gotta be nepping kidding me…_ " I said in a sour mood.

"Cheer up, Sis." Nepgear said to me. "I can help you with…"

"No way, dear _**younger**_ sister of mine. If I have to prove to everyone that I can be older than you and Amitie, then I'll do it on my own. Hell, I'll even prove to you all why this series is, and will always be called, Hyperdimension Neptunia!"

"Oh, really now? I don't suppose you would like to prove that to me as well, huh?"

"Huh?"

"That voice…" Nepgear said. "Isn't that…"

"Hahahahaha! So, we meet again…Neptune."

"A-Arfoire?!"

"Well, you sure have some huge guts to just walk on in here like nobody's business." Iffy said.

"It was easy, really. You were all so busy chatting amongst each other that I took the chance. How pathetic of you all to not notice."

I should probably explain this one too, huh? Well, this purple old hag in the _**extremely**_ questionable clothes is freaking Arbore. She's an annoyingly cliché villain who often has nothing better to do than attempt to "rid the world of CPUs" or something like that. But she always loses. Like the annoyingly cliché villain she is.

"How **DARE** you describe me as such? And it's **Arfoire** , you idiotic brat! Now, I have yet another reason to kill you!"

"U-Uh oh. Arbore's already pissed off."

"And just who's fault is that, Nep?" Iffy retorted.

"Arfoire. You have no right to be here. Why have you come?" Histy asked in a _**really**_ serious tone. The same kind used when she lectures me about stuff. It's super intimidating.

"Why else would I be here, Histoire? To kill all the CPUs and erase this pitiful world known as Gamindustri out of existence. Hahahahaha!"

" _Ugh._ She's still doing that?" Uzume asked in an annoyed tone.

"She must be very determined to make that happen." Compa said with a sweatdrop.

"Told ya guys she's cliché as hell." I taunted.

"Enough of this worthless banter! Neptune! You **WILL** perish here! And I finally have the means to do so this time."

"Really? Oh, please. You'll be eating those words once again after I beat you, Arbore! **TRANSFORM!** "

I then began transforming into my super powerful Goddess form! Known as Purple Heart! I get all big and powerful and…

"Not this time, child. **Ascella!** "

"Huh?"

***PING***

" _ **Gah…!**_ " I was suddenly stopped mid-transformation when these glowing blue chains came out of a blue-like orthorhombic stone infused with Arfoire's staff and grabbed me all over. My arms, my legs, around my stomach, and even around my neck. That one especially making it hard for me to breathe.

" _Wh-What is this? I-I can't…m-move. C-Can't…breathe…e-either…_ "

" **N-Neptune!** "

" **Don't just stand there, Gear! Let's help Nep out!** " Iffy said to Nepgear.

" **R-Right! TRANSFOR-** "

"I don't think so." With a snap of her fingers, Arfoire made the stone change from a blue-like orthorhombic stone to a pink-like shapeless one. And from that, a huge distortion field filled out the room. It didn't take long for everyone to feel its effects as they all fell to the ground.

" _Wh-What…the hell…?_ " Iffy said weakly.

" _I-I can't…move. M-My body is…s-so weak…_ " Compa said.

" _Wh-What is this…p-power? I-It is…dr-draining my energy…_ " Histy said.

" _D-Damn…m-my head…i-it feels like…i-it might…ex-explode…_ " Uzume said.

" _N-Nep…tune…_ " Nepgear said.

" _ **G-Guys…**_ " I tried to yell. But my body…I was losing so much oxygen from my lungs that I was feeling like I was going to pass out. These chains are constricting my still human body so damn hard…

"Now…for the final part." Arfoire said. "If what that girl said was true, then all I have to do is recite the chant."

" _Ch-Chant? Wh-What…ch-chant?_ " I asked barely.

"Hahahahaha! Pay close attention, Neptune! For this will spell out your end!" As Arfoire changed the stone back to the blue-like orthorhombic stone and pointed her staff at my suffocating body, she gained an evil sadistic smile on her face.

And for the first time ever…it scared the living hell out of me.

"To the fires of hell, your soul shall fly…

I send it screaming across the sky!

It shall endure such eternal pain…

And slowly you'll go completely insane!

Topaz of Sagittarius, listen to me…

 **Kill this brat! So mote it be!** "

_K-Kill? N-No…I-I can't…d-die here. I-I just can't…_

" **Delta Sagittarii!** "

Arfoire had fired a bright blue laser from the stone. And almost immediately, I felt immense pain coming from all over my weakened body. The chains had gotten super tight and really hot. It was burning through my clothes and eventually my skin. The pain was excruciating and unbearable…like no pain I've ever felt before.

It felt like…my soul was being destroyed.

" _ **GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!**_ "

" _N-Nep…Nep…!_ "

" _N-Nep…!_ "

" _N-Neptune…!_ "

" _N-Nepsy…_ "

I continued screaming in pain as my sister and friends had no choice but to watch me being internally burned alive and strangled to death. These chains…they were definitely melting my soul. I could feel my whole body getting weaker…I couldn't even connect to my HDD form anymore.

Like it was erased from my entire existence.

_M-My soul…i-it burns. I-It hurts…s-so nepping bad! I-I can…I-I can even feel it…sh-sh-shattering._

…

…

…

 _But…for some reason…it's starting to feel good. Really nepping good! I can't get enough of this! It's so damn good!_ _***giggle*** _

" **Hahahahaha! This is finally the END for you, Neptune! Now witness this worthless universe cease to exist! And burn in the depths of Hell for all eterni-** "

" _Shut up._ "

***CRASH***

" **Wh-What?!** "

I felt the chains break off from my body and witnessed them fall to the ground around me. The pain was finally gone…but now…I was feeling something else. A surge of a strange new power overtaking my still burning soul. It felt so good that my heart was racing and my mind was nearly blank. I eventually opened my eyes and saw that my hands were tattooed with a strange glowing blue-colored light. With my right hand having this even stranger symbol on it.

Kinda looked like…an arrow?

" _ ***demented giggle* *more demented giggling***_ " I started giggling all creepy-like as I began getting up from the floor. Once I was on my own two feet, I felt the power flowing to the rest of my body like a sudden jolt of electricity. The blue-colored glowing grew brighter from my nearly ruined jacket. Revealing that it was all over my body and not just my hands. Even my eyesight was a little blue at this point.

" _ ***demented giggle* *more demented giggling***_ "

" _N-Neptune…?_ " I barely heard Nepgear whimper in fear. I honestly paid no attention to her or the others still trapped in the distortion.

All my focus…was on this purple witch in front of me.

" _ **demented giggle***_ _Yo, Arbore. That was some attack ya did on me. Wanna see me return the favor?_ " My voice was all demented and unrecognizable. As if I've lost my sanity or something like that.

" _Th-That voice…_ " Histy said.

" _N-Nep-Nep…_ " Compa added.

"Wh-What's going on?! H-How are you still alive?!" Arfoire yelled in a panic.

I didn't answer. Instead, I raised my glowing right arm and opened my glowing right hand. Feeling a ginormous amount of energy rushing to my hand as a blue aura surrounded it whole.

Until finally…

" **Ascella!** "

"Wha…?!"

***BOOM***

…

…

…

" _ ***cough* *cough* *cough***_ Wh-What the?! H-How did you…w-wait! Wh-Where did you…"

" **Alnasl!** "

***BOOM***

" _ ***cough* *cough* *cough***_ _N-No…I-It can't be…_ "

" **H-Holy crap! Those attacks!** " Iffy yelled as the other were somehow free from the distortion.

" **W-Was Nepsy ever able to do such moves?!** " Uzume asked.

" **First time I'm seeing them!** "

" **Delta Sagittarii!** "

***BOOM***

" **Zeta Sagittarii!** "

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM***

" _ **St-Stop! Stop already! I can't…t-take it anymore!**_ " Arfoire yelled after I pelted her with attack after attack with this strange rush of new power. It was truly the most fun I've had in a long time. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt so much joy. I've never felt so…so… _ **reborn**_.

" _ ***demented giggle***_ _You know, Arbore…your stutters of fear and pain always brought a smile to my face. You may act all tough and cocky…but you're really nothing more than a pathetic emo witch just seeking attention._ "

I blasted her with another weird spell.

" _G-Gah…!_ "

" _Eliminate all CPUs"? "Destroy Gamindustri"? Ha! Don't make me nepping laugh, you sorry excuse of a villain!_ "

I then blasted her again.

" _G-Gaaah…!_ "

" _You always talk about "killing this brat", huh? Well…maybe I'll kill_ _ **YOU**_ _here and now!_ _ **Just for the hell of it!**_ _ **Hahahaha!**_ "

" _ **Y-You wouldn't DARE!**_ "

" _Oh? I wouldn't_ _ **DARE**_ _, huh? Wanna bet?!_ "

I then raised my arm once more and aimed it at my arch-nemesis. So nepping ready to do the one thing she had failed to do to me for such a long time.

I was nearly at full charge when…

" **Nep! Stop!** "

_Iffy?!_

" **Back off, Nepsy! This isn't worth it!** "

_Uzume?!_

" _ **Gah! Let me go! I was just about to end her!**_ "

" **This isn't like you, Nep! Calm the hell down!** "

" _ **GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_ "

" _ ***cough* *cough***_ _Wh-What the hell…?_ " Arfoire said as she slowly got up from the floor. " _I-Is this what they meant by…_ "

" _Hahaha! For an old witch, you did a hell of a lot better than I thought!_

 _Had fun?!_ "All of a sudden, this strange new voice appeared and started talking over all of us.

"Fun?! I almost **DIED** trying to do this for you!"

" _Meh. Whatever. Just hurry up and get the hell outta there!_ "

"You're not even going to explain what the hell just happened?!"

" _Ugh. Man, you nag a lot. Fine, I'll tell ya once ya get here. Happy?_ "

" _ ***sigh***_ Fine. At least I did my end of the deal." Arfoire gained an exasperated look on her face as the mysterious voice went away. Soon giving her attention back to us.

" **Arfoire! What did you do to my sister?!** " Nepgear yelled.

"As if I know! And even if I did, why the hell would I tell you?! I'm sure you girls aren't _**that**_ stupid to figure it out for yourselves."

"Tch. Why you…" Iffy and Uzume grew angry.

" _Oh? Arbore's still here, huh? That means I can_ _ **KILL**_ _her, right?!_ _ **RIGHT?!**_ " I shouted with the blue aura glowing all over my body. And even grew a sadistic smile on my face. One that gave everyone in the room a shiver down their spine.

 _Ah~! The fear! The pain! Giving it all to the people around me feels so nepping good! I can totally get addicted to it all!_ _***demented giggle*** _

"W-Well… ***clears throat*** th-that was fun." Arfoire said. "But as you heard, I must be going now. Au revoir, girls. Treat this as the warning for all of your deaths in the near future! Hahahahaha!"

Arfoire finally disappeared out of the Basilicom. And I slowly felt my new power dropping down to a reasonable level.

Problem is…that wasn't the only thing that was dropping.

" _D-Damnit…sh-she got away. Wh-Why did you all…_ _ ***moan***_ " I said with barely any breathe or energy as I finally collapsed onto the ground. Too weak to move my semi-burned almost naked marked-up body anywhere from where Iffy and Uzume were holding me back from murdering Arfoire.

And what's worse…the pain from the chains was coming back. And it _**really really**_ hurts.

" **Neptune!** " I could barely hear Nepgear's voice as I started fading out of conciseness.

" _N-Nep…gear…I…I…_ "

I then closed my eyes and went dead silent on the floor. My body shutting down and my mind going blank. I wasn't sure if I was truly dying or not. But if felt like I was. Everything about me was so weak.

My body…

My mind…

And most importantly…my soul.

_A-Ah, damn. A-A game over? Th-This early?_

…

_M-Maybe I am…only a 17-year-old…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A strange new power has infested Neptune after nearly dying from a surprise attack. And from the looks of it, her power isn't the only thing that's changed. The good 'ol Nep that you know may be…a little different from now on.
> 
> This chapter also revealed two of the other stones in this story. Their names will be revealed in a later chapter.
> 
> For all Neptunia readers - If you're wondering about the timeline of this story, it's mainly after VII (Victory 2). It seemed like the best setting to base this on. And not just because it's the lastest mainline game in the series.
> 
> For all Puyo readers - If you're wondering about the timeline of this story, it's mainly after Chronicle. Much like how a lot of the stories are on these sites. But I'm making this notice just in case.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	5. Secrets of Friends & Enemies

**Resta's POV**

_Haha! Yes! I got the Scorpio Citrine back! I would've been totally screwed if I lost this thing forever! Thank the stars that it didn't fall into evil hands._

…

_But now…I pretty much told four people who I barely know the true name of the stone. Although now that think about it, I already told Jarne that the citrine gives me powers. So, even if I didn't blurt out the name like a madwoman, I still would've had to explain it._

_So, no matter how you look at it, I screwed up in only just hours of coming to this parallel world._ _***sigh*** _ _Spille would've definitely chewed me out for this._

_Oh, well. Might as well get this over with._

"Well, I got my stone back." I said as I held the citrine in my hand. "But now, you guys want an explanation as to why I reacted like that and called it the Scorpio Citrine, huh?"

"Yeah…that would help a lot." The blonde-haired girl replied.

" _ ***sigh***_ Alright, fine." I cleared my throat. "This may be hard to believe or understand…but I'm actually from a different world."

"A different world? Well, that makes sense."

"I know you're shocked and all but…w-wait, what?" I questioned the girl.

"It totally makes sense that you're from a different world. It explains a lot, actually."

"Y-You're **OKAY** with this?"

"People coming from different worlds isn't all that new here." The green-haired girl with small horns poking out said.

"It's pretty common here. Though, we're not sure why." The purple-haired girl from earlier added.

"Hell, even I'm from a different world." Jarne said.

"Really?"

"Yep. So, we're kinda like other-worldly sisters, Resta. Pretty cool, right?"

…

…

…

"Yeah. It kinda is, Jarne." I said with a smile after thinking about it.

"Resta? So, is that your name?" The blonde girl asked.

"Yes. My name is Resta. In the world I came from, I'm known as the Scorpio Princess. And the guardian of this stone right here. The Scorpio Citrine."

"Scorpio…like for the Zodiac, right?" The purple-hared girl asked.

"Y-Yeah. You know about it?"

" _Fufufu. I am a young maiden skilled in the Occult Art of Divination. Knowledge of the Zodiac is a very common thing for me. The constellations, the secrets, the power…I wish to learn them all~! And you're the gift from the heavens that I've been seeking, Resta~! Fufufufu~!_ "

"U-Uh…" I was starting to get rather scared of this girl. Just like earlier.

"Don't mind her." The green-haired said. "She's just a loli with a personality problem."

" _D-Don't call me a loli, damnit!_ " The purple-haired girl whined.

_Th-That sudden personality change is…shocking._

"So, what made you come to this world, Resta? An accident or something?" Jarne asked.

" _Well…_ "

_Aw, geez. Here we go._

"Y-You see…I actually fled from my world because it was being attacked."

"Attacked?!" The four girls asked in shock.

"A few days ago, this purple-toned witch lady with _**very**_ questionable clothing invaded my home, the Scarlet Kingdom, with the intention to take the Scorpio Citrine from me. She was crazy strong and I was near defeat. But my friends, who are also Zodiac princesses and guardians of their own Zodiac Stones, fended her off long enough for me to escape. I ended up here and after a few days of walking found this "Primp Town" place. And not only am I smelly, hungry, and completely exhausted, but I'm also worried about the others. They did all they could to get me out of there, but…I can't shake this feeling that they're the ones in trouble now."

"So, because of that feeling, you want to get back to your world, right?" The blonde asked.

"Yeah. But I'm not really knowledgeable with "world-traveling" or stuff like that. I'm still questioning how my friend even opened the path between the two worlds. Even if she used her Zodiac powers."

"I see. Well…we can help you out, Resta."

"R-Really? You will?"

"Sure. Like we said, people coming from different worlds isn't all that new here."

"And we travel to different ones ourselves all the time. We're all total pros at it." The green-haired girl added.

"Th-That isn't something I would want to be a pro at…" I gained a sweatdrop. "But nonetheless, I'm truly grateful for your assistance, uh…wait."

_Did I seriously tell them my entire life story without even learning their names?! Geez, why am I so scatterbrained?!_

"Oh, right. The name's Amitie Rose."

"My name's Lidelle Namanari." The green-haired girl said.

"And I'm Feli Kuromi. The girl you were looking for earlier." The purple-haired girl said.

"They may seem weird, but they're really nice girls." Jarne said to me. "Ami and I are even co-workers at the museum here."

"I see. Well then, it's nice to meet you, Amitie, Lidelle, and Feli." I said with a small smile.

_Four new friends in a single day. I'm really setting records for myself._

***RINGTONE CHIME***

"Oh, that's me." Lidelle said as she took out this strange small thing from her pocket. "And it's Mother, too. I wonder what she wants."

"Hey, what's that thing Lidelle has in her hand?" I asked Jarne.

"They call it a smartphone. A lot of people here tend to have one. Though, not me. It's too confusing to use."

"S-Seriously? Phones can be **THAT** tiny?"

"I know, right? I don't get it, either."

"Resta, just how old-fashioned is your world?" Amitie asked me as she and Feli had gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, I wouldn't call it "old-fashioned"…" I pouted from the insult.

" **N-No way! A-Are you serious?!** _***sigh***_ She just doesn't quit, does she? Well, I'll keep a lookout for her. Pretty sure it won't be long before she comes after me. Tell Satan I'll do the best I can. Okay…thank you, Mother. Bye." Lidelle hung up her "smartphone" thing and gained a huge look of stress on her face. "Well, this is just great."

"What happened?" Amitie asked.

"That was Mother on the other line. She just got word from Satan that Ridel escaped from the prison she was in."

"Ridel **AGAIN?!** "

"Damn, that psycho's persistent." Feli said. "She must really want that dream of hers, huh?"

"Who's Ridel?" I asked.

"Ridel is an evil clone of Lidelle who bent on killing her, take her place as the future Queen of Hell, and sending this world into ruin."

"Or her "Armageddon", as she keeps calling it." Lidelle added.

"W-Wait…"Queen of Hell"? What does that mean?"

"Long story short, I'm known as the Demonic Princess and will rule Puyo Hell someday."

…

…

…

"O-Okay, then." Was all I said to that.

_No way in hell am I questioning such a thing…_

"So, an evil clone of Lidelle? How did someone like her break free?"

"She must've kept struggling until she broke the chains or something. Her power is similar to mine. So, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."

"Damn…"

"Any idea where she ran off to?" Amitie asked.

"No clue. Although, there have been rumors that she was last seen with a dark blue emo girl."

"A dark blue emo girl? The hell?" Feli asked.

"That's all we know at the moment. If that rumor is true, then no doubt she'll come back for me again. The words "give up" are non-existent to that girl." Lidelle then let out a stressed-out sigh from learning what mess she's currently in.

_This may be entirely stupid of me to do…especially since I just met her and all, but…_

"Hey, Lidelle. If you need any help with this, I'll lend a hand."

"Huh?! You will?!" Everyone asked as they looked at me with shock.

"I may not know anything about this Ridel girl or what she's done in the past…but since you're helping me getting back home, it's only fair that I help you with your problem. After all, I'm a princess, too. And princesses help their friends when they're in trouble, right?"

"Well, yeah. But…"

"Well, if Resta wants to help, then I'm in, too." Jarne said as she wrapped her arm around my neck. "And besides, I like this girl. She's pretty laid back for a princess."

" _ ***giggle***_ Thanks. I get that a lot." I said with a smile.

"And I'm helping too, Lidelle." Amitie said. "It'll be just like the first fight back in Dream Land. We've beaten her then and we'll certainly beat her again!"

"I still kinda owe you for getting her out of Toyama after she snuck in that one time. So, I'll help, too." Feli said.

"You guys…" Lidelle went silent for a bit. "…Well, okay. Thank you, everyone. Your help will be greatly appreciated." She then gained a smile on her face. Seemingly happy to receive help for her ordeal. Just like how I got some for my own.

_This is almost like the others helping me when I was near-defeat back home._

…

_***sigh*** _ _I really do hope they got out of there safely._

"So, Resta." Jarne asked me. "You got your stone-whatever back. What do ya want to do, now?"

"Uh…" This was easily a no-brainer for me. "…Well, for starters, I _**really**_ need a shower. All those days of walking made me sweat as if I was a faucet."

"Huh."

"You can use my shower, Resta." Amitie said. "And you can even stay here if you want."

"Really? Your parents won't mind?"

"It's fine. My mom's out of town for something and my sister rarely comes over due to her own job. It's just me here for a few days."

"What about your dad?"

…

…

…

"M-My dad…passed away when I was younger." Amitie said in a sad tone.

"O-Oh. S-Sorry, for bringing that up."

"No, it's fine. It's not like you knew, anyway."

"If you say so…" I still felt a little bad for bringing it up so casually. But if Amitie's okay with it, then I can't really judge her. After all, I only just met her a couple of minutes ago.

_She seems like a nice girl…but why is the citrine going crazy whenever I'm near her? It's strange…_

…

_Maybe I'm overthinking it._

* * *

**Lidelle's POV**

Three days have passed since I met Resta the Scorpio Princess. And nothing much has happened since. While she's been looking for ways to get back home, I've been bust looking for Ridel. With neither having much success, though.

_She sure takes her time when it involves taking me down._

On the bright side, Resta's stone has regained its full-power thanks to Feli's charms. She really wasn't kidding about the astrological signs being common knowledge for her. It went so well that Resta suggested learning a few spells from Feli and vis-versa.

_I mean…Feli's birthday is November 13_ _th_ _. And according to Resta, that makes her a Scorpio. So, it could work._

But back with Ridel…yes, it was a nuisance that she was out free again. But at the same time, I have to physically and mentally prepare myself for whenever she decides to attack me. As she is known to be the unpredictable type.

_Especially since it's been three days and she hasn't done a thing yet. Normally, coming after me would be the first thing on her mind. She's definitely up to something…_

_But…what?_

"So, Ridel got out, huh? I'm honestly not surprised." Ringo said as I was currently in class telling the others what I already know so far.

Along with Amitie and Feli, I was talking with three of our other classmates.

Arle Nadja, a girl with orange hair who was the first person to come to Primp from another world and is always accompanied by Carbuncle, a yellow rabbit thing. She's known for being a tomboy, despite her constantly denying that she is one.

Ringo Ando, a girl from a world known as Suzuran City and often travels being the two of them with her friends Maguro and Risukuma. She's a smart girl knowledgeable in pretty much everything.

And Raffina Fielding, a girl who calls Primp her home and is actually very wealthy (well, her family is). She loves fighting and can be rather snooty sometimes. But people like to tease her about the possibility of her being a lesbian, to which she keeps denying.

But, like how Arle is definitely a tomboy, Raffina is definitely a lesbian. Both just don't want to admit it.

_Even though it's completely obvious to literally everyone…_

"Geez, that psycho girl never seems to quit. What's she planning now?" Raffina asked.

"My guess is that it's the same as always. Kill me, take my place as the Demonic Princess, and send this world into an Armageddon. But despite it being her one and only desire, she sure is taking her time with it."

"Maybe she learned from the other times she lost and is thinking of another way." Amitie said.

"Geez." Arle said. "As if dealing with her in Dream Land **AND** Toyama wasn't enough. We're in for something big this time huh, Carby?"

"Guu guu…"

"We're hoping that we can stop here soon before she actually starts something." I said. "And knowing her, it won't be long before that becomes a reality."

"I see. You must have your hands full huh, Lidelle?"

" _ ***sigh***_ Yeah, I do. I just want to get this over with. _I mean, I freaking skipped out on 3 Mario Kart tournaments because of this!_ "

"You needed a break, anyway…" Everyone retorted as they all gained a sweatdrop.

***INSERT SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Well, let's just hope she doesn't show up during school." Arle said.

"Oh, yeah. I should probably call Akuma and see how Resta's doing." Amitie said as she took out her phone.

"Huh? Resta?"

"Who's that, Am?" Ringo asked.

"She's a girl who's actually a princess from a different world."

…

…

…

"What?" Arle, Ringo, and Raffina said in disbelief.

"Why you had to go and say that so nonchalantly like that?" I asked Amitie with a sweatdrop.

"Being around Sig a lot has made his carefreeness rub off on her." Feli said.

"Sh-Shut up!" Amitie yelled with a little blush.

"Alright, kiddies. Let's start today's lesson." Ms. Accord (our teacher who carries a talking cat puppet named Popoi everywhere) said as she came into the room. Once we all sat down, the class began to start like normal.

Well…at least, for now.

"Alright, everyone. Before we begin, I must make a statement. I'm sure some of you are already aware that Ridel Honnari is out on the loose somewhere."

" _Ugh._ Ridel **AGAIN**?!" Witch (a blonde-haired witch-in-training who makes _**very**_ questionable potions) yelled while being completely annoyed.

"Man, she really doesn't quit, does she?" Peruvis (a half-devil half-tortured soul girl who has a soul wisp named Phoenix come out of her back at times) asked.

"Knowing how demented that girl is, the answer is obvious." Phoenix said.

"Huh…who's Ridel… _pfft._ " Dalida (an extremely carefree girl who's into chemistry) asked.

"She's an evil clone of Lidelle that Rivitie created." I explained. "Along the lines of Raina, Cheri, and Arly."

"Woah…so, the three of them are clones… _pfft._ "

"You're now noticing?" Ringo asked.

"Well, Dalida just moved here. It makes some sense." Amitie said.

"Am. Raina, Cheri, and Arly all float, have markings all over their bodies, and they look near identical to Arle, Raffina, and me. Pretty sure any normal person would've already noticed by now."

"Well, Dalida isn't normal."

"Yeah…wait… _pfft._ " Dalida said then thought about the insult made towards her.

"In any case…" Ms. Accord continued. "…the safety of all of you is my greatest responsibility. So, the school has taken extra precautions to keep you all safe."

"As in…" Feli said.

"Thanks to Satan's efforts, there is a protector barrier around the school perimeter. It only allows students, teachers, and special visitors inside. So, Ridel will not be able to pass through."

"Satan helped, too?" Arle asked.

"Well, his little sister attends this school." Witch said. "It's no big surprise that he wants her safe."

"That's true…"

" _Ugh._ This is ridiculous." Raffina said. "Those boys are so freaking lucky that they don't have to deal with this crap."

What she means is…Sig, Klug, and Maguro are at a gaming convention due to Maguro winning tickets through an online game. We're not entirely sure when they'll be back. But it really is only us girls in this room right now (with the exception of Popoi and Phoenix, of course).

"That is the strategy we currently have." Ms. Accord said. "So, for right now, let's all just pretend Ridel isn't a threat and proceed through the day like normal."

" _Ha! As if that's going to happen, you senile old hag!_ "

We all jumped up from our seats as we heard a random voice echo through the room. Scratch that. It was only random to a few people.

But for me…it was not random. As I knew that voice all too well.

_She's here…_

A bunch of green swirls soon appeared above us. And with a huge burst of dark power blasting from them, the one person most of us were trying to avoid…revealed herself to us all.

" _ **Nyahahahaha!**_ _What's up, mortals?! It's been a while!_ "

"Tch. The Psycho Chick returns." Raffina said as she held up a fighting stance. Raina, on the other hand, was hiding behind her. Probably having PTSD from the times Ridel tortured her in the past.

"Woah… **that's** Ridel… _pfft._ " Dalida asked.

"She's just as demented-looking as I remember her being…" Witch said.

" _Hey, Ridel. Do you got any cherries?_ " Cheri asked.

" _Wh-What? No! I don't have any cherries!_ "

…

…

…

…

…

" _Can you go get some?_ "

" _Why would I go get you cherries when you're about to_ _ **DIE**_ _?!_ "

…

…

…

…

…

" _Please give me cherries._ "

" _Ugh!_ " Ridel did a facepalm. " _I see that you're still a cherry-obsessed moron._ "

" _What's a moron? Is it a type of cherry?_ "

" _ **OH, MY GOD!**_ "

"Cheri…just please shut up." Ringo said to her clone with a huge sweatdrop.

"So, you finally show yourself huh, Ridel? What are you up to now?" I asked.

" _Fufufu. The same as always, my dear nuisance twin. Or at least something similar. I wish to murder your loli-ass 10 times over._ "

"For what, the Armageddon thing? Why can't you just give up already, Ridel?" Amitie asked.

" _Tch. Don't think I didn't forget about you, Light Soul. Once I finally get rid of Lidelle, I'm making you pay for what happened back in Dream Land and Toyama._ "

"Oh, yeah. I remember." Raffina said. "You got your ass kicked over in both of those places. Wait, didn't you get your ass kicked **once** before? Or was it twice? You've lost so many times that I honestly lost count. That's rather sad…on your end, of course. _Oh, La-Ti-Da!_ "

" _Grr…Damn bitch!_ _ **I'll mutilate your cocky ass!**_ "

" _S-Sis, please…_ " Raina tried to say to her.

But then…

"Ridel. You're getting off-track."

"W-Wait…huh?"

"A-Another voice?" Ringo asked. "Fr-From where?"

" _Well, can you really blame me? Every last one of these girls has pissed me off in some shape or form. I have nothing but hatred for all of them._ "

"The feeling's mutual, you know." Peruvis said.

" _ **Who freaking asked for your opinion, Tit-For-Brains?!**_ "

"Tit-For-Brains?" Peruvis then gained a smirk on her face. " _Oh. So, I see that_ _ **SOMEONE'S**_ _still flat beyond compare._ _ ***giggle***_ "

" _ **What did you just say, you goddamn…**_ "

" **Ridel!** " The mysterious voice yelled.

" _Fine, fine! I freaking get it!_ "

" _Even though that insult was targeting Ridel, I still feel extremely pissed by what Peruvis said._ " Amitie whispered.

" _You are not alone, Amitie…_ " This was said by Feli, Witch, and me. We're the only four girls in this class who basically have a non-existent chest. And we _**really**_ get pissed off whenever people (mainly Peruvis) bring it up so casually.

_I'm so freaking tired of being an A-cup…_

" _ ***sigh***_ _Anyway…_ " Ridel continued."… _Listen up, Lidelle. You may think that this is all another plot for me to take you place as Queen of Hell and create my Armageddon…but I'm through with that crap._ "

"Huh? You are?" I asked. "Then what are you…"

" _All I want…my greatest desire…is to kill you. Kill you for the countless times you made my life hell. How I was the one rotting in a cell while you enjoyed weekend binges of Mario Kart. My soulless heart is now fueled with rage and hate for you._ _ **And today's the day I satisfy the pain for good!**_ "

"Really? And with what? I took the Eternal Soul out of you nearly 2 years ago. You're just a weaker copy of me."

" _Fufufu. That may be true, Lidelle. But thanks to a new friend of mine, I was able to gain a brand-new source of power. One that will wipe you out of my miserable life once and for all. Take a look!_ " Ridel then pulled from under her torn shirt a green hexagonal stone with a weird black symbol on it. Made into a necklace around her neck. It…looked like an N of some kind.

And for some reason, just looking at it reminds me of something…

_That stone…why does it look familiar?_

"L-Lidelle! A-Amitie! Th-That stone!"

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about, Feli?" Amitie and I asked her.

"D-Don't you two recognize it?! It's similar to the one Resta has!"

As the two of us took another look at it, we nearly lost our minds. The similarities were almost the same. From the amount of power we can feel from it to the black symbol imprinted on the stone.

"No way…" I said in disbelief.

"Get real…so, that's a Zodiac Stone?!" Amitie asked.

" _Huh. So, you three are aware of this thing. Well, it beats me having to explain what it is. This one stone will mark the end of your days! Nyahahaha!_ "

"A Zodiac Stone?" Ms. Accord asked. "Are you three familiar with such a thing?"

"W-Well…" Was all we could really say at the moment.

" _Yeah, come on, Lidelle. Tell Teacher what this is. Or better yet, I'll do it for you. It'll be killing a dozen mortals with one stone! Hahahaha!_ "

"Wow…that was a terrible pun… _pfft._ " Dalida said.

" _It wasn't a pun! It was a threat to your life!_ "

"Oh…either way, it was pretty bad…did you even put any thought to that… _pfft._ "

"Well, this is Ridel we're talking about." Raffina said. "She rarely thinks about anything that doesn't involve hurting Lidelle."

"Oh…I get it…so, she's stupid… _pfft._ "

" _ **What?! Who the hell are you calling stupid, you retarded piece of…**_ "

" **Ridel! Focus!** " The mysterious voice came back again.

" _ **You want me to focus?! FINE! I'LL MAKE EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU NOTHING MORE THAN A ****ING ROTTING CORPSE!**_ " Ridel held the stone in front of her as it began to glow. With her being maxed-out pissed, she was no doubt about to use its power.

Question is…just how powerful is one of these stones?

" _ **Now, that I think about it, I think I'll break all of you from the inside!**_ _**Deneb Algedi!**_ " Ridel swung the stone hard. And immediately after, a distortion field started filling up the whole room. All of us instantly started feeling the effects. Being a massive headache and the feeling that our brains were about to explode.

" _Wh-What the…h-hell?!_ " Raffina asked.

" _S-Sis…M-My head…h-hurts…!_ " Raina said.

" _G-Gaaah…th-the pain…!_ " Amitie said.

" _I-It feels like…m-my brain…i-is overworking itself…!"_ Ringo said.

" _C-Carby…h-hang…o-on…_ " Arle said as she was trying to hold onto Carbuncle.

" _G…Guu…_ "

" _E-Everyone…pl-please remain…c-calm…_ "

" _M…Meow…!_ " Not even Ms. Accord and Popoi could avoid such a fate.

" _D-Damn you…R-Ridel…_ " I said.

" _ **Nyahahahaha! This is finally the end of you, Demonic Princess! Suffer in the Depths of Hell like I have time and time again! FACE ETERNAL SUFFER…**_ "

" **Graffias!** "

***BOOM***

" _Gah! The hell was that?!_ "

"I "the hell" was that!"

Suddenly standing in front of us all. Ending the mind-shattering distortion caused by the stone…was the dark-marron long-braided girl only three of us knew rather well.

" **R-Resta!** " Amitie cheered.

"You guys okay?"

"Y-Yeah, a little. Thanks to you." Feli said.

"Looks like we got here just in time, then." Jarne said as she walked up towards us.

"You're here, too?"

"Resta felt some kind of power similar to her stone here so we came by. And it looks like she was right."

"I see…it all makes sense." I said.

_So, that stone really is from Resta's world. How did Ridel get her hands on it? How did she even find Resta's world to begin with? Just what is she up to?_

"So, you're this Ridel I've heard about?" Resta asked my clone. "Well…they were right by referring to you as a psycho."

" _Tch. And just who the hell are you, you Final Fantasy wannabe?_ "

"I am Resta. The Scorpio Princess. What you have in your hands is the Capricorn Emerald. And I **WILL** take it back from you!"

" _Ha! I'd like to see you try, you damn little…_ "

"Can it, Ridel."

" _What?_ "

"It's that voice again." Arle said. "But who…"

But before she could finish her question, a dark-blue portal appeared next to Ridel. And out from it came a girl who wore nothing but dark-blue. Even her hair was…

…

W-Wait! I-Is that…

" _What now? You told me to wipe these people out but now you're stopping me. Can't you make up your mind?_ "

"I have made up my mind." The girl said as she took the stone from Ridel. She then turned to face Resta and grew an evil-like smirk on her face. " _ ***giggle***_ Resta the Scorpio Princess…so, you managed to escape from that battle with Arfoire, huh? You sure got lucky."

"Arfoire? You mean that purple witch lady? So, you're working with her?"

"Long story short, yes. She, Ridel, and I wish to seek revenge on those who have made our lives nothing but hell. And these Zodiac Stones that you and your friends have are the perfect way to do such a thing."

"I managed to escape from that ordeal…but what did you do with them? What did you do with my friends?"

"Oh? Them?" The girl then giggled to herself. "Well…seeing as how we have one of their stones, they clearly lost to Arfoire."

" _Such a pity, too._ " Ridel said. " _They tried with all their might and they couldn't leave a scratch on her. And we took the stones from their pathetic little palms. The only thing that would've made the whole thing satisfying is if I mutilated their corpses myself. But…I'm saving these claws for…_ _ **someone special**_ _._ " While looking at me, Ridel licked her claw-length nails in a _**really**_ unsettling way. One that actually brought a chill down my spine.

_D-Damn, that's creepy._

"So, what does that mean, huh?! Where are my friends?! **What did you do to them?!** " Resta yelled in anger.

" _ ***giggle***_ So, you wish to know? Very well." The dark-blue girl said. "Scorpio Princess…Demonic Princess…Light Soul…Gothic Lolita…and Super Djinn. I'll show you where they lie… **AT THE COST OF YOUR SOULS!** "

***SNAP***

At the girl's command, a big dark portal appeared in front of us. And it started creating strong winds to suck us all inside.

Thing is…it was only targeting us five that the girl mentioned before.

"Wh-What the…I-I can't break… **Waaaaah!** "

" **F-Feli! W-Waaaaah!** " Feli and Amitie were the first to be sucked in.

"J-Jarne…I-I can't hold on much…"

"R-Resta…I won't…I won't… **Gaaaah!** " With a misstep in her footing, Jarne was sucked into the portal. Taking Resta, who was holding on to her giant hand, with her.

" **Ami, no!** " Witch yelled.

" **You damn bitch! What are you doing with them?!** " Raffina yelled at the girl in anger.

"These girls will do nothing but get in our way. It's best to get rid of them now so that they won't be a bother later. A tip that I've learned from my new friend over here."

" _You're letting your murderous side show, Kurome. I can easily get used to it. Fufufufu._ " Ridel added as they both stared at me…the only one who has yet to get sucked in.

" _D-Damn you…R-Ridel. Y-You won't…g-get away with this…_ "

" _Won't get away with it? It's already over, Lidelle. You're about to get your soul ripped out and be out of my life for good!_ _ **You lost the game before it even started! Nyahahahaha!**_ "

"You know what they say…" _Death is your only release_ "." The girl added. "Just accept your fate and let your demise go as peaceful as possible. _Which won't be much, by the way._ _ ***giggle***_ "

" _D-Damn…it…_ "

With my strength weakening, I had no choice but to let myself get sucked in by the portal. I could barely hear the others yelling and crying in fear as they saw me disappear in the darkness. Believing that I had accepted my defeat to my evil clone.

…

But…But like with every game known to exists…when there's a game over, there's always a continue.

Question is…when and how will that continue happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Resta makes even more friends in the form of Amitie, Lidelle, and Feli…then meets Ridel and gets sucked in a dark portal meant to take their souls.
> 
> But like Lidelle said…when there's a game over, there's always a continue.
> 
> This will be the last time Lidelle will get a POV. As the main characters are Resta, Amitie, Neptune, and Nepgear. Thus, they should (and will) receive the most POVs.
> 
> I'm also kinda surprised as to how this story's being received. I mean, the views for the previous chapters are really impressive and were blown WAY past my expectations. Thank you to those who are enjoying it so far.
> 
> Next chapter, all three worlds finally meet. And the plot for revenge goes even deeper than anyone thought. Thanks for reading. Later.


	6. The Soulless Truth

**Amitie's POV**

" _Hey, hey. You up yet?_ "

_Hmm…wh-what? I-Is someone…calling for me?_

" _Come on. Wake up already._ "

_Well, no. It's more like them telling me to wake up. But who's is…_

" _You're not dead, are you? Cause if you are…I might as well help myself to what's in your pockets._ _***giggle***_ "

_M-My pockets?! B-But I don't have any pockets! W-Wait, that's not the point!_

" **Gah! Back off, you creep!** " I yelled as I suddenly woke up from this deep sleep I was in. When my eyesight became normal again, I saw that standing in front of me was oddly…

" _Aw, what? A creep? That's pretty mean of you to say, Amitie._ "

"H-Huh? Arly?"

" _I thought I could have a little fun with you since you're the gullible one. But I guess that fun's over._ _ ***sigh***_ "

_The gullible one, huh?_

"I'm gonna let that remark slide for now…" I retorted in an insulted tone.

This is Arly Nadja. A clone of Arle that was created by my sister Rivitie the same way Raina, Cheri, and Ridel were. The only thing that makes her different from the others is that Arly is half-soul half-fallen angel. The latter is because of how one took control of her a few years back.

She now works with my sister as a demonic bounty hunter. Going after bad demons who cause trouble and put them in their place. I hear it's a very extensive job. Thus, making it rather rare to see them both.

So, with that in mind…

"Arly, what are you doing here? What's going on?"

" _You tell me. I was just flying on by when I saw you just floating in place right here. Looked like you were knocked out cold._ "

"Kn-Knocked out cold?" I went silent for a bit. "W-Wait, I remember! It was because of Ridel!"

" _Ridel? Ooh~! I haven't heard from her in a damn long time! What's she up to these days?!_ "

"Her usual hobby. Causing trouble for her sick amusement."

" _Sick amusement?_ "

_She really has no idea, huh?_

"Well, you see…"

So, I told Arly what had happened to me, Lidelle, Feli, Jarne, and a girl named Resta. How Ridel and a girl she seems to be friends with sucked us through a giant portal in an attempt to kill us after we found out that they had someone attack Resta's homeworld as a part of some revenge scheme.

And for some strange reason, Arly responded to all of that with…

" _Oh~! I get it now! You're about to start a new game!_ "

"St-Start a new game? Arly, what are you talking about?" I asked with a huge confused look on my face.

" _Well, duh. It all makes sense. A girl with a weird stone thingy coming from a different world, the villain screwing you over this early so that you won't get in their way, the fact that you're floating through the edge of Space-Time right now…_ "

" **Sp-Space-Time?! I-Is that where I am?!** " I panicked once I heard that last one. Looking all over to notice that I'm floating in an empty black space of nothingness.

" _You mean you're now noticing? Yay! You're really are the gullible one!_ _ ***giggle***_ "

"Stop calling me gullible…" I gained a sweatdrop.

" _Anyway~. It all totally makes sense. You're about to start a new game. An adventure-style RPG, from the looks of it. And right now, this is basically the main menu._ "

_A new game? Adventure-style RPG? Main…menu? Just what the hell is Arly talking about? How does this make_ _**ANY** _ _sense to her?_

_And more importantly, where are the others? Are they okay?_

" _ ***sigh***_ _Still, though. If only you were Arle-sama. I would've manipulated this whole thing to make me the one she saves. And then my precious little kitten would hold me delicately…relieved that I'm safe as we both close in for a kiss! Fufufufu~! The sweet sensation of Arle-sama's lips onto mine! A delicious ecstasy that I refuse to give up! such tastiness is mine and mine alone!_ _ ***seductive moan* Arle-sama! I want you so badly, my precious little kitten! TAKE ME NOW!**_ "

" **Arly!** " I yelled with a faint blush on my face.

" _Huh? You're still here?_ "

" **Of course, I'm still here! I'm stuck in the edge of Space-Time!** "

" _Oh, yeah…_ "

Another thing different about Arly is that she's **MADLY** in love with Arle. To the point where she's pretty much obsessed with her. It's kinda scary…but what's worse is if someone tells her that her dreams of being with Arle can never happen. And that's basically a death sentence.

" _ ***sigh***_ So, how can I get out of here? I don't suppose you know a way out, do you?"

" _Of course, I do. I can easily fix this, no problem._ "

" **Get really real! You do?! So, you can get me back home to Primp?!** "

" _Primp? Now, why the hell would you want to go back to that dump of a town when you're about to start a new game?_ "

"I don't know what any of that stuff means, Ar…"

***SOUND OF AN ALARM***

" **Wh-What's that sound?!** " I yelled once a strange loud noise started filling the empty space.

" _Ooh~! It's time already! Well, Amitie. I'm about to send you to your new adventure. Have fun now. Fufufufu._ "

"H-Huh?! N-New adventure?! Wh-Where is…"

" _ **Diamond Cutie!**_ "

***SNAP***

Suddenly, with a snap of her fingers, Arly opened up a portal through Space-Time that didn't even give me a chance to fight back. I was sucked in as easily as a clump of dust on the floor. Completely unsure of where this clone of one of my best friends was sending me.

" _ ***giggle***_ _Good luck, Amitie! And if you see Arle-sama, tell her that her heart shall be mine! Fufufufu!_ "

" _ **ARRRRRRLYYYYYYYYY…!**_ " Was the last thing I yelled at her before she was out of my sight. And was currently falling through Space-Time to supposedly a different world to start this "new game" she kept talking about.

_Just what insane madness am I about to experience this time?_

* * *

Hello. My name is Nepgear. I'm the CPU Candidate of Planeptune and Neptune's little sister. Due to our strikingly different appearances and personalities, I often get mistaken as the older sister. But no matter how old I am, I'll always love my sister. She's just that important to me.

Speaking of which…

It's been three days since Neptune went insane with that strange new power she received. After Arfoire left, she collapsed and has been asleep since. It looked like she had calmed down…but we still can't be too sure.

" _ ***sigh***_ "

"You're still worried about Neptune?" Uni asked me as we sat in the Basilicom lounge area. She had come over to comfort me after news quickly leaked of Neptune going insane. And the multiple rumors that soon came along with it.

Some of them more hurtful than others.

By the way, Uni is the CPU Candidate of the neighboring nation Lastation and the little sister of the CPU there. How our friendship started was rather…difficult (and dark, depending on how you look at it). Mainly because of Uni's tsundere-ish personality. But once you get over that hurdle (e-eventually), Uni's a really good friend to have around. Always able to help out when she can.

But this time…

"I just can't help it, Uni. It's been three days already. I mean, I know Neptune's known for sleeping for long periods of time. But three days is a lot, even for her."

"Yeah, that is not like your sister…"

"Plus…there was that look. That evil look in her eyes and the stuff that came out of her mouth with that demented-sounded voice. It was the stuff of nightmares, Uni. I was actually scared of my sister at that moment."

"You know, you say that she went insane…but honestly, someone like Neptune "losing her sanity" like that sounds a little farfetched to me."

"Y-You think I'm lying?"

"Of course not. You're terrible at lying, anyway."

_I would argue that, but it's actually true…_

"I'm just saying that, knowing Neptune for who she is, the only way I can truly believe it is if you had really good proof. And I mean _**really**_ good."

"W-Well…y-you do have a point…" I said with a sad-like tone.

"If you wish to see proof, Uni, then I have it all right here." Histoire said as she came up to us holding a video tablet that was kinda big for her size. "But I must warn you, it is highly…unnerving."

"Please. If I can handle three full games of fighting monstrous abominations, giant robots, and crazy people who want to destroy the world just for the hell of it, then I can handle a simple video. Lay it on me, Histoire."

" _Uni, you have no idea what you're about to witness…_ " I said with a huge sweatdrop."

"Very well. You have been warned." Histoire pressed play on the tablet and the video began to play. Honestly, I didn't want to watch it. But there may be something in it that could help us figure out what happened to Neptune. So, I sucked it up and watched alongside Uni.

And it didn't take long for the trauma from three days ago to come back to my mind.

" _ ***demented giggle* *more demented giggling***_ "

***FAST FORWARD***

" _Yo, Arbore. That was some attack ya did on me. Wanna see me return the favor?_ "

***FAST FORWARD***

" **Delta Sagittarii!** "

***BOOM***

" **Zeta Sagittarii!** "

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM***

***FAST FORWARD***

" _ ***demented giggle***_ _You know, Arbore…your stutters of fear and pain always brought a smile to my face. You may act all tough and cocky…but you're really nothing more than a pathetic emo witch just seeking attention._ "

***BOOM***

" _G-Gah…!_ "

" _Eliminate all CPUs"? "Destroy Gamindustri"? Ha! Don't make me nepping laugh, you sorry excuse of a villain!_ "

***BOOM***

" _G-Gaaah…!_ "

" _You always talk about "killing this brat", huh? Well…maybe I'll kill_ _ **YOU**_ _here and now!_ _ **Just for the hell of it!**_ _ **Hahahaha!**_ "

" _ **Y-You wouldn't DARE!**_ "

" _Oh? I wouldn't_ _ **DARE**_ _, huh? Wanna bet?!_ "

***FAST FORWARD***

" _ **Gah! Let me go! I was just about to end her!**_ "

" **This isn't like you, Nep! Calm the hell down!** "

" _ **GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_ "

***FAST FORWARD***

" _Oh? Arbore's still here, huh? That means I can_ _ **KILL**_ _her, right?!_ _ **RIGHT?!**_ "

The rest of the video played out and I was near the brink of tears. Seeing my older sister…a person who, despite her flaws, was the one person I loved and cherished and looked up to…act like a deranged psychopath wanting to kill someone was too much for me to handle. I have memories of my sister and these were **definitely** not it.

_Which makes figuring out what happened all the more important to me…_

" _H-Holy crap…_ **TH-THAT'S** Neptune?!" Uni yelled as the video had no doubt traumatized her the same way it did to us.

" _ ***sigh***_ I'm afraid so." Histoire said as she made the tablet disappear. "And she has been out cold ever since. Normally, I would be angry that she is sleeping in the middle of the afternoon. But since it has been three days, I am starting to get worried."

"Histoire…please tell me you figured out what happened to Neptune." I said. "You and Umio have been doing tests on her, right?"

"Even though we are not too sure about what it is exactly…we did discover something."

"You did?" Uni and I asked.

"Yes…but we should wait until everyone gets back. And hopefully when Neptune recovers."

"Recovers from what?" We suddenly heard a voice coming from behind us. And when we saw who it was…

" **N-Neptune!** "

" _ ***yawn***_ Mornin', Nepgear. Mornin', Histy. Man, I feel **REFRESHED**. Oh hey, Uni. Came by to hang with Nepgear?" Neptune was saying all of this while stretching all over her body. Understandable since she was asleep for three days straight.

But…

_She seems like her normal self. Personality and all. But what happened to those blue markings that were all over her body? Did they clear out? Only there for a one-time phenomenon?_

_Something just doesn't feel right about this…_

"H-Hey, Neptune. Feeling any better?" I asked.

"Uh…I guess. But I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to feel better from. Did something happen?"

The three of us just looked at her with looks of complete shock.

_D-Does she…Does she not remember?!_

" _Hello~?_ Anyone home?"

"Neptune. Are you aware of what transpired three days ago?" Histoire asked.

"Three days ago? That was just a normal day, right?"

"You seriously don't remember?" Uni asked.

"Well…" Neptune went silent for a bit. "…This one thing keeps popping in my mind. I kept seeing myself fighting Arfoire for some reason. And I wasn't in HDD, either. But yet, I still won with these crazy magic powers. Talk about one weird dream, right?"

Now the three of us were silent. She basically just described what happened three days ago…but she sees it as a dream.

Telling her the truth is going to be even harder now.

"You guys okay? You kept going silent on me."

"N-Neptune…" I said. "Y-You should know that…"

"Hey, Histoire! We're back!"

"Is Nep-Nep up yet?"

"It sounds like the others have returned." Histoire said as we heard IF and Compa's voices from down the hall. "It would be better if they were all here to hear this."

"Yeah. And they might be better at explaining what happened than Nepgear over here." Uni added.

"I-I wasn't struggling **that** hard!" I yelled with a small blush of embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Neptune was looking at us all with a huge confused look on her face. Not really understanding what happened or what we're actually talking about.

But once we do tell her…

_***sigh*** _ _I can only imagine what her reaction would be…_

* * *

The four of us met up with IF, Compa, and Uzume out front. Umio was there, too. All ready to hear/tell what exactly happened to Neptune three days ago.

By the way, Umio is Uzume's longtime companion who we also met in the Zero Dimension. He's uh…he's basically a fish with the most normal-looking face you've ever seen. But also his voice is rather soothing.

A lot of us actually believe that Umio was in fact human at one point during Uzume's time of ruling Planeptune. But he said that he was always a fish. And if he ever was a human, he doesn't remember it.

_Oh, well. Human of fish, the two of them are really close to each other. So, it really doesn't matter._

"Hey there, Nepsy. Glad to see you're feeling better now." Uzume said to Neptune.

"Thanks, Uzume. Although…I'm not exactly sure what I'm feeling better from."

"Huh?"

"She apparently doesn't remember what happened." I explained. "It's all mostly a blur to her."

" _ **Mostly**_ a blur?" IF asked.

" _She kinda remembers. But she thinks it was all a dream._ " I whispered to her.

"A dream? Aw geez, Nep."

"What? What are you guys talking about? Did I do something bad?"

All of us went silent again. Not sure what to do about my sister's lack of memories from three days ago.

Although, the one thing that came to my mind that might work is…

"Hey, Histoire. Do you still have that video?"

"Video?" Neptune asked.

"Yes, I do. And I agree, Nepgear. Showing Neptune the video might be the easiest way of explaining it to her."

" _ ***sigh***_ I figured so."

"Uh, quick question. What video am I about to see?" Neptune asked.

"A video that can easily be the definition of "Nightmare Fuel"."

"U-Uni…" I gained a sweatdrop.

_Even though I totally don't blame her for saying such a thing…_

And so, we showed Neptune the video. Every last second of it. From the moment she started acting crazy to the moment she passed out. And by the time it was over, she was near speechless.

" _N-No way…th-that can't be right._ That's so totally wasn't me! Tell me that it wasn't me!"

"It is you, Nep. Every last minute of it." IF said.

" _N-No nepping way…_ **G-Gah!** "

" **N-Neptune! What's wrong?!** " I yelled after Neptune suddenly held her chest in pain.

" _M-My chest…i-it burns like hell. B-But it also…it also feels so nepping good. It's like a sudden high that I can get addicted to. This pain feels so damn amazing! I want_ _ **MORE**_ _of it!_ _ ***demented giggle***_ "

" **Sh-She's going insane again!** " Compa yelled in fear.

" **Neptune! Snap out of it, please! Neptune!** " I yelled as I shook her back and forth hoping she would come back to her senses.

…

" _Wh-What? N-Nepgear? Why were you shaking me?_ "

"Because it happened again, Nep." IF said. "You were going on about how this pain in your chest felt "so damn good" and that you wanted more of it."

"S-Seriously? I said that?" Neptune asked. With all of us confirming it happening.

"Oh…wow…"

"How is your chest, Neptune? Has it stopped burning?" Umio asked.

"Well, kinda. It's still burning, but not as much as before."

"I see. Then it appears that we still have some time."

"Time for what, Umio? You figure out what happened to Nepsy?" Uzume asked.

"We don't have an exact diagnosis. But we did discover something while doing tests on the sleeping Nepsy."

"Wait, you did tests on my while I was asleep?" Neptune asked. "How long was I asleep, anyway?"

"It was three days, Nep-Nep." Compa said.

"Th-Three days?! Geez, no wonder I felt so refreshed when I woke up. I honestly thought it was a simple nap."

"If it were a simple nap, I would have woken you up a long time ago…" Histoire gained a sweatdrop.

"So, what happened to Neptune? Is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"I shall be blunt with what we found." Umio said. "But I must warn you all…it is highly disturbing."

"D-Disturbing?"

Umio went silent for a bit as he prepared to tell us what he and Histoire found out about my sister during those tests. The fact that he said it was disturbing was worrisome. But I wasn't exactly sure how disturbing it actually was.

That is until…

"What we found out is…Nepsy's soul has been shattered."

"Wh-Wha… **WHAT?!** " Nearly all of us shouted in shock.

" **W-Woah, woah, woah! Hold up! My SOUL is SHATTERED?! What the nep does that mean?!** " Neptune asked.

"It means as it says, Neptune." Histoire said. "Your soul was mostly destroyed during that fight with Arfoire. Only a small fragment of it remains."

"A-A mostly destroyed soul…" IF said.

" **H-How the hell does** _ **that**_ **old hag know how to do such a thing?!** " Uni asked.

"We believe that it was because of that mysterious stone Arfoire had in her staff. As to how she obtained such a thing…that is currently unknown."

"You mean you couldn't find anything?" IF asked.

"I have searched through the entire record of Gamindustri. But nothing about a blue orthorhombic-shaped stone had appeared anywhere. So, it is safe to say that its origins are not from this world."

" _Not from this world…_ could it be from the Ultra Dimension?" I asked.

"It is possible. Though I would have to check with the Histoire of that dimension to be sure. Getting connected there should take about three days."

"R-Right…" We all gained a sweatdrop at Histoire's unexplainably long wait time to do these kinds of things.

I then looked at Neptune, who hasn't said anything since finding out that her soul was nearly destroyed. I want to comfort her as a sister. But what do you say to someone who went through such an insane thing? I don't have any experience with souls and nearly losing them.

…

B-But I gotta at least try.

"H-Hey, Sis. Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I-I guess. I'm just…trying to mentally accept such a crazy thing. This is definitely not a normal thing to experience, huh?"

"Yeah. Definitely not normal. Probably the most not normal thing we've ever experienced yet."

" _ ***giggle***_ Yeah. No doubt about that." Neptune gained her first smile since waking up today. It no doubt calmed my worries a little. At least for now.

_At least the Neptune that I know and love is still in there somewhere…_

"So, what are you gonna do now, Nep-Nep?" Compa asked.

"Well…I could just…"

***BOOM***

" **Woah! What was THAT?!** "

"It appears that something has fallen onto the balcony." Histoire said.

"Well then, let's go check it out." IF said before we all went up to see what it was.

The smoke was clearing up by the time we reached the balcony. And what we saw was…rather surprising.

There on the balcony was a short blonde-haired girl wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt with colorful dots and flowers on it over a black undershirt, beach shorts colored purple, green, and yellow from top to bottom, and pink crocs. And on her head was a chrome white beanie hat with red, blue, green, yellow, and purple colors swirling on it. It even had eyes on it that were…blinking on its own.

K-Kinda creepy.

A-Anyway…I said that this was surprising because…well…

" _Ow…_ Geez. Arly really didn't have to drop me so high. I'm lucky that I survived such a fall. _And to have experience in falling from the sky…_ "

"Woah…who is that?" Compa asked.

" _H-Hey, Neptune. Th-That_ _ **is**_ _her, right?_ " I whispered to her.

"Yeah, that **IS** her! Amitie!"

"Huh?!" IF, Compa, and Uzume yelled in shock.

"Wait…Neptune?! Nepgear?!"

"Yep! The very same! Nice to see you again, dear cousin!"

" **Seriously?!** " The same three, with the addition of Uni, yelled in shock.

" _Uh…hey, Nepgear. What's going on?_ "

" _You're asking me?_ " I replied to Amitie with a huge sweatdrop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neptune learns that the fight with her arch-nemesis has resulted in her soul being mostly destroyed. Which is the cause of her going insane at random moments. It's still unknown to them how Arfoire learned such a tactic. Could the sudden appearance of Amitie explain it all?
> 
> Spoil alert. Yes.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	7. The Cousin's Sudden Reunion

**Amitie's POV**

_Okay…after somehow surviving being sucked in a dark portal, I run into Arly in the middle of Space-Time…and now I'm here with Neptune? So many things happened at once that I'm having a hard comprehending it all. What the heck is going on?_

_I'm still alive. That's a good thing. But I don't know where the others are or if they got as lucky as I did. If they truly did, and ended up here, too, then I gotta at least try to find them soon._

_But for now…_

"Wow, Neptune. You sure live in a pretty impressive place. I've never seen a giant tower with so many rooms before."

"Pretty nepping sweet, right? This place is just right for a person like me."

"And the amount of games you have is…mind-blowing. An entire 3 shelves filled with games is amazing on its own right."

" _In order to be a true gamer, one's gotta spend all their savings on tons of games._ It's like one of the laws of gaming, Amitie."

"I'm not that much of a gamer, but I'm pretty sure that isn't a thing…" I gained a sweatdrop.

Neptune was showing me around this place called a Basilicom that she and Nepgear live in. It's freaking huge. I actually lost count at the number of stairs that I had to climb in order to see everything. I had no idea that they were so rich. To live in a freaking tower they gotta be richer than Raffina, at least.

_Though, I'm not entirely sure how much either a mansion or a tower would cost…_

"So." Neptune said. "With the grand tour now over, whaddya wanna do? Play games? Eat snacks? Play games while eating snacks?"

"Well…I'm not really sure…"

"There you two are!" Nepgear said as we ran into her in the hallway. "Neptune, why did you give Amitie a tour of the Basilicom at a time like this?!"

"Aw come on, Nepgear. Amitie's never been here before so I was just showing her around a little. No big deal.

"No big deal? Sis, did you already forget what happened **BEFORE** Amitie suddenly showed up?"

"U-Uh…" Neptune then gained a nervous look on her face.

"Something happened?" I asked.

"Well, technically…it's still happening. But it's a lot to go over. But for right now, we should get back to everyone else. They have **a lot** of questions about you."

"Really now? This outta be good." I said with a nervous look of my own.

The three of us went to the main area of this Basilicom place to find everyone else that was there when I fell from the sky. It sure was a lot, though. I hope my nerves don't act up at a time like this.

"Geez, Nep. Kept us waiting long enough." Said the brown-haired girl with the green bow.

"Hehhehheh. Sorry, Iffy. But when a family member suddenly falls from the sky and visits you, you got…show them around and stuff. I'm sure you understand."

"Right…" The girl gained a sweatdrop. "So, this is your cousin, huh? Now that I'm seeing you both side-to-side, you do have some similarities."

"It's almost like you two are twins." Said a girl with long pink hair.

_Twins, huh? I should probably not mention Rivitie for now._

"Anyway." Neptune said. "This is our cousin from another dimension. Amitie Rose."

"Uh…hi there." I said. "Nice to meet you guys. Sorry for…you know…falling out of the sky."

"Don't worry about it. Nobody ended up getting hurt." The brown-haired girl said. "I'm IF, by the way."

"My name's Compa. It's nice to meet you, Amitie." Said the pink-haired girl.

"Name's Uzume Tennouboshi. Nice to meet ya, Am." Said a girl with long red pigtail-like hair.

"And I am Umio. It is a pleasure to meet you, Amitie."

"W-Wow. So, there's a talking fish here, too."

"You know others?"

"Yeah, but they're kinda…odd. In fact, you're pretty much the most normal talking fish I've ever met."

"The most _**normal**_?" Everyone else gained a sweatdrop while questioning the fact that I know other talking fishes.

_Primp isn't a normal world._

"I see. Well, I am glad you think that." Umio said.

"O-Okay, then." Said a girl with average-length black hair. "My name's Uni. I'm Nepgear's friend. Nice to meet you, Amitie."

"Same here, everyone. Wow, you two sure know a lot of…people."

"Please. This is honestly a fraction of the many people that we know." Neptune said.

"We're basically traveling a lot. _If you can really call being forcefully sent to different dimensions traveling…_ " Nepgear added. Whispering the last part to herself.

"I see…"

" ***clears throat*** Well, now." Histoire suddenly spoke. "Since introductions are out of the way, I really must ask you, Amitie…How on earth did you get here?"

"O-Oh. That." I went silent for a bit. "It's actually a very complicated story. And a bit of a crazy one to boot."

" _Ooh~._ A crazy complicated story." Neptune sounded oddly interested for it. "Those are always the best ones to listen to. I'll get the popcorn!"

"Don't get the popcorn." IF quickly retorted.

"If it explains how you suddenly came to our world, Amitie, then it is best that you go ahead and tell us. It could help in getting you back home."

" _ ***sigh***_ Well, alright. But fair warning. I'm having a hard time comprehending it all myself. So, it may be a bit long."

And so, I told them everything. How a girl named Resta came to my world in an attempt to flee after her own world was attacked by a purple witch lady who was after this thing of hers called a Zodiac Stone, how a villain of ours named Ridel somehow got a hold of one of these stones as a way to kill a friend of mine, and how she's working with this other girl who was dark blue in every way. And how they both sucked up me and some of my friends in a dark portal as an attempt to kill us. But somehow ended up here.

I purposely left out running into Arly in the middle of Space-Time and it was her that possibly sent me here. I don't think I can explain the clones and what Space-Time is. Ringo's better at doing that than I am.

"And that's basically what happened." I said. Finishing off the explanation.

"I see." Histoire said. "After hearing all of that, it is easy to say that Arfoire is definitely involved."

"Not to mention the other me is back. And even bigger pain." Uzume added.

"Man…who would've thought that Kurome Ankokuboshi would rise from the dead and seek her revenge? Such a shocking twist." Neptune said.

"Is that _**seriously**_ her name?" I asked with a sweatdrop. "It sounds ridiculously stupid."

"That's because Nep came up with it on the spot when we fought her the first time." IF said. "And a lot of people felt the same way."

"Hmph. You're just jealous of my quick thinking skills, Iffy."

" _Quick thinking my ass…_ " IF mumbled to herself.

"Right…so, Arfoire is that witch lady, right? She's really from this world?"

"We've dealt with her a few times before." Nepgear said. "Her main goal is to destroy Gamindustri without really much of a reason."

"She was even here just a few days ago and did something horrible to Nep-Nep." Compa added.

"Something horrible?"

"Ahhaha. Oh, don't mind her, Amitie." Neptune said to me. "Compa's airheadedness must be making her thinking of totally weird things. It's just like her, y'know."

" _Hey!_ "

"Nep. Tell her." If said.

"B-But Iffy…"

"If you won't, then I will."

" _What?!_ Histy, you're just gonna let her do this?!"

"Normally, I would be against such a thing. But if Amitie seems to know what these stones are, then it would be best if we told her what happened. It could help in getting you back to normal, Neptune."

"Y-Yeah…b-but…" Neptune then gained a sad look on her face. A pretty rare sight for me despite only knowing her for two months. I can tell that something was bugging her. And whatever happened to her must be really **REALLY** bad.

Hey, Neptune." I said to her. "Whatever it is that happened to you, I'll try my best to help you out. I promise."

"S-Seriously? L-Like, for real?"

"Sure. I mean, we are family, right?"

"Amitie's right, Sis." Nepgear said. "As your little sister, I want to help you get back to normal as much as possible. You just gotta let us help."

"You guys…" Neptune went silent again. " _ ***sigh***_ Well, alright. If you're willing to help, then I can't really refuse. _As much as I really don't want to talk about it._ "

"We all have to say or do things that we don't want to, Nep. That's just how life works." IF said.

"Yeah, whatever."

So then, Neptune (with the help of the others) explained to me what had happened three days ago. How this Arfoire lady came by here…and after nearly losing a battle with her, Neptune had her soul shattered. Only a small piece of it remains and because of that, she's been going crazy at random moments saying that this pain in her chest feels "so damn good". As IF stated.

"W-Woah. S-So, that really happened?" I asked.

"Yeah. It did. The worst part of it all is that I can never remember any of it. I was out cold for three days the first time it happened."

"And it seems that this blue orthorhombic-shaped stone that Arfoire had in her possession is that cause of it." Umio said. "Do you happen to know what that is, Amitie?"

"Well…it does sound like a Zodiac Stone. But I can't be too sure. My friend Resta knows a lot about them considering that they're from her world. Though, we'll probably have to find her, huh?"

"Well, in that case, we can probably check the Guild." IF said.

"The…Guild?" I gained a confused look.

"It's a place where you can accept many quests from clients. Whether it be defeat monsters or collecting certain items, it's a good place to check for information like this. Plus, you even get rewarded for doing them."

"It's possible that someone might have seen Resta and reported her as lost. We should definitely check there." Nepgear added.

"People request such things?"

"We often get requests that are rather…weird. To put it simply."

"Huh…" I decided not to question that any further. "Well, if this Guild place can help then let's go see what's there.

"Alright!" Neptune cheered as she wrapped her arm around me. "Be prepared, Amitie! Now's my chance to show you around **MY** domain! A grand tour of Planeptune awaits! _Hahahahaha!_ "

"Nep-Nep sure seems excited." Compa said.

"She seems to have forgotten that we're doing this to restore her soul." IF said.

"Well, at least Nepsy's happy again." Uzume said.

"Alright, everyone! Let's get going!"

"Are you coming along, Uni?" Nepgear asked her friend.

"Sorry, I'll have to pass. I have to get back home right about now."

"Huh? You mean you don't live here, Uni?" I asked.

"No, I live close by in the neighboring nation of Last…"

" **Woah, Woah, Woah, Woah, Woah!** " Both Neptune and Nepgear suddenly shouted as they rushed over to Uni and stopped her from continuing.

"Huh? Neighboring nation?"

"Oh, don't mind her, Amitie." Nepgear said.

"Uni's just spouting weird stuff." Neptune added. "She can be just as airheaded as Compa sometimes."

" _ ***muffled anger***_ " Uni was clearly pissed. But due to her mouth being covered up, nobody could understand what she's saying.

"Uh…okay?" Was all I said.

" _ ***sigh***_ Geez…" IF facepalmed.

" _I-I'm not airheaded…_ " And Compa whined while having a hurt look on her face.

_I certainly don't blame her…_

* * *

**Land of Purple Progress – Planeptune**

* * *

**Neptune's POV**

"Here we are, Amitie! **Welcome to Planeptune!** "

" _Woah…_ This is seriously where you guys live? It's so big and…futuristic. It's like I time-traveled or something."

"R-Really? I don't think we're **THAT** advanced." Nepgear said.

"Is this your first time seeing Planeptune, Amitie?" Compa asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. In the two months that I've known these two, Neptune's been coming to my world a lot to hang out. In fact, she was with me just a couple of days ago."

"Yeah, we know." Iffy said with an exasperated face. "Nep just straight up left without telling anyone and we all wasted an entire day looking for her. It was a huge pain."

"Well, sorry, Iffy. But if I did tell someone then you all would've stopped me. And I _**really**_ wanted to go."

"Then you should've at least left a note or something and save us a bunch of time."

"Okay, fine. I'll do that next time."

"You mean you're gonna do it **again**?" Iffy gained a sweatdrop.

"How'd you even get there without using Histoire's powers?" Uzume asked.

"Oh, right." I then went digging through my jacket to pull out a crystal hanging around my neck. "Amitie's letting me borrow this thing that can travel through space and time and whatnot. It's called a… _hey, what's this thing called again?_ " I then whispered to her.

"It's called a Crystal Shard."

"Yeah, that. A Crystal Shard."

"Crystal Shard? Isn't that thing related to Kirby in some way? How'd you get your hands on that thing?" Iffy asked.

"Well, you see…I've actually been to Dream Land before."

…

…

…

" **What?!** " Iffy, Compa, and Uzume yelled in total shock.

"I had the same reaction when she told us one day." Nepgear gained a sweatdrop.

" **W-Wait, so you're saying that you ACTUALLY went to Dream Land?!** " Iffy asked.

"Yep."

" **And met Kirby?!** " Compa asked.

"Yep."

" **And even explored the whole world and whatnot?!** " Uzume asked.

"Well, most of it. There were still places that we just never went to. Dream Land is a _**really**_ big place."

" _No freaking way…_ " All three were experiencing shock overload at this point.

_***giggle*** _ _This is fun to watch. I so totally nepping wish that could shock people like that. Amitie's a total pro at it._

"It's a rather interesting story…" Nepgear said. "…But should we focus a bit more on this current story and not ones in the past?"

"Nepgear's right. **Onward to the Guild!** " I yelled in a cheerful mood.

We continued walking around the city and showing Amitie around. It truly sucks that I can't brag about me ruling over an entire nation. But like Histy said, sharing interdimensional stuff is always risky.

_Even though we pretty much lucky with it multiple times before._

Anyway…the walk around the city was all normal in itself. What wasn't normal, though…was all the people staring at me with mild looks of shock and fear. It was truly unnerving. Like I'm being judged or something.

"H-Hey, what's up? Why's everyone staring at me?" I asked.

"It's because they know about your shattered soul, Nep." Iffy said.

"H-Huh?! How?!"

"Somehow, someone made a video of the moment you first went insane and leaked it all over the internet." Nepgear said. "It quickly became a worldwide phenomenon."

" **What?! And I was the last one to find out?!** "

"You were knocked out for three days. Of course, you'd be the last one." Iffy said.

" _ ***sigh***_ Aw, damn. And I bet the shares went down as a result of that too, huh?"

"Yep. They really took a beating." Uzume said.

" _Ugh…_ "

_Maybe that's why I felt a little weaker this morning…_

"Huh? Wait, what are this "shares" everyone's talking about?" Amitie asked.

"Uh…well…" Nepgear and I gained worried looks.

"Just tell her already." Iffy said. "There's no way in hell you can keep everything a secret with her actually being here."

" _ ***groan***_ It looks like we don't have a choice, Neptune…" Nepgear said to me.

"Figured as much…"

"Tell me what?" Amitie asked.

"Well, Amitie…we have to be honest with you. The whole "CPU" thing we told you about before…there's actually more to that."

"It stands for Console Patron Unit." Nepgear said. "And Neptune and I are actually the rulers of Planeptune."

"H-Huh?! Y-You mean you actually **RULE** the entire **WORLD**?!"

"W-Well, not the _**entire**_ world. Just Planeptune."

"Just Planeptune?"

"There are three other nations here in Gamindustri. Lastation, Lowee, and Leanbox. The CPUs of those lands are good friends of ours and we often travel to their lands and vise-versa. In fact, Uni came all the way here from Lastation to hang out with me after what happened with Neptune."

"There's also stuff like Hard Drive Divinity, HDD for short, and all that jazz. But that's basically the gist of things in this world." I added.

"Woah…that's crazy." Amitie then went silent for a bit. "But…I kinda had some idea that you both weren't normal humans."

"Y-You did?!" We all asked in shock.

"What made you think that?" Iffy asked.

"Well, when they told me that they were CPUs, my mind instantly went to believe that they were computers of some kind."

"C-Computers?!" I yelled. "You thought you cute and loveable cousin was a big bulky computer?!"

"Well, that's what CPU means in my world. It made sense in my mind."

"I…guess that makes sense." Nepgear said.

"Still, though. Can you imagine what it'll be like if we really were computers? Life would truly suck if that were the case." Uzume said.

"Why would you think that?"

"I'm actually a previous ruler of Planeptune and a CPU."

"Woah, seriously?"

"Yep. Though the story to that is rather long as hell and I don't think we don't have any time to go over it thoroughly. Since we're currently doing something right now."

"O-Oh, right. I almost forgot." Amitie said while rubbing the back of her head.

"Alright, ladies. Storytime's over. Let's head on over to the Guild to see what we can find." Iffy said.

"Right."

"Sure thing, Iffy." Compa said.

"I'm all ready." Uzume said.

"You know, Iffy." I said with a pout. "We _**really**_ didn't want to tell Amitie any of that stuff. But ya just _**HAD**_ to force it out of us, huh?"

"IF can be real forceful at times. Even in such calm situations like this." Nepgear added.

"Just shut up and walk." Iffy retorted to us both.

* * *

**Nepgear's POV**

After a few more minutes of walking, we finally reached the Guild. And it was busy as it always was. People lined up to make requests and others such as monster hunters looking for quests to take. It was pretty much an average day here.

Although…people were still staring at Neptune because of the leaked video. And now it was at the point where people were whispering rumors and hurtful things about her. She ended up staying outside with Uzume to wait for us due to how uncomfortable it all felt to her. And of course…it was all painful for me to witness.

_Poor Neptune. She finds out that her soul is shattered and learns that the entire world saw her in that state all on the same day. I can't blame her for feeling all sad and uncomfortable._

_How did someone film the whole event of Neptune going insane and leak it all over the internet? There was nobody else inside the Basilicom at the time, was there?_

…

_I mean…Arfoire managed to sneak inside. So, it is possible that someone else was with her. Or at least took the chance when everyone else was distracted._

_Nonetheless, this is something that I need to figure out. For my sister's sake._

"Wow…so, this is the Guild, huh?" Amitie asked.

"The center of operations, pretty much." IF said. "We come here a lot to get jobs and such. Some of them are even required to advance the story and such."

"Wow. That's pretty neat-o. But how do we get info on where Resta might be?"

"Easy. We check this board over here and see which ones are available. Then we pick a few and head on out."

"And there seems to be a lot of them today." Compa said. "A lot of people sure need help nowadays."

"Get real…" Amitie said with an exasperated sigh.

***BEEP***

"Huh? Hey, it looks like this one just came in. _Client: Captain α: Hot Water Manager_ …weird name. ***clears throat*** " _Finally, my turn to be the bath janitor has come! Unfortunately, I'm stuck with a part-time job as a monster-hunter. I refuse to relinquish this opportunity to…t-to peek in the female changing room legally?! Someone, please defeat the monster in my place. I shall become the king of public baths by peeking into the ladies' bath?!_ " What the hell?!"

"You know how I said that we often get requests that are rather weird?" I asked with a sweatdrop.

"Yeah, but you said weird! Not perverted!"

"And those are the ones we tend to avoid." IF said with a look of disgust from having to hear that quest description.

" _ ***sigh***_ Get really real…"

***BEEP***

" _Ugh._ Now what?" Amitie said as she turned back to the screen. " _Client: Some Old Guy_ …already not liking where this is going. ***clears throat*** " _A colony of Dogoos from Virtua Forest have been harassing us residents of_ _Erethisan City. A redheaded braided girl in a white robe offered to help, but she hasn't returned. Can someone go check up on her? And take care of the Dogoo problem, of course._ " Wait, a redheaded braided girl in a white robe? That description sounds like it's Resta!"

"So, she ended up in Erethisan City and made her way towards Virtua Forest." IF said. "At least now we have a pinpoint location on her."

"Virtua Forest isn't that far from here. We can look for Resta and stop those Dogoos at the same time." Compa added.

"Sounds good to me. But…what exactly is a Dogoo?"

"Well, they're…"

***BOOM***

" **Wh-What was that?!** " I yelled in shock as we all heard an explosion coming from outside.

" **G-Guys!** " We then saw Uzume rushing over to us in a panic. What was weird about that was…Neptune wasn't with her.

"Uzume, what happened? Where's Neptune?"

" **I-It happened again! Nepsy went crazy and blew up a nearby car with her weird powers! I tried stopping her, but…** _ **damn she's so strong!**_ " Uzume then nearly fell over due to the injuries she gained while trying to stop Neptune.

"Crap! Just went I thought we were going to have an easy first quest for once!" IF yelled while completely agitated.

"Do you know where she ran off to?" Amitie asked.

"It looked like she was heading towards Virtua Forest. And from what she was saying before she left, it sounded like she wants to inflict pain on someone or something."

_N-No way. Neptune…_

"Aw, geez. And we just found out that Resta might be in that area."

"Then we've got no choice. Let's head over to the forest and stop Nep before she actually does hurt someone." IF said.

"Right!"

"I'm ready, Iffy!" Compa and I immediately agreed.

"Sorry to do this to you, Am. But you'll have to come with us. With Uzume injured, we need a 4th person to tag along in the party. And we don't have anyone else."

"I get it…kinda. Point is, I was going to come even if you refused. Neptune's my cousin and I want her safe, too."

"Fair enough. Alright, let's go."

"I'll treat to your injuries once we calm Nep-Nep down, Uzume." Compa said.

" _Y-Yeah…s-sure. J-Just go and…h-help Nepsy._ "

And so, the four of us rushed out of the Guild and quickly made our way towards Virtua Forest. To control the Dogoo problem, find Amitie's friend Resta, and to stop my sister from satisfying her lust of inflicting undeniable pain.

_Neptune…please. Please don't hurt anyone!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After Amitie's sudden arrival to Gamindustri and Neptune and Nepgear come clean about their identities, the party learns that Resta has been seen in the nearby forest. But as they were about to depart, Neptune's shattered soul begins to act up once more. And now it's a race to the Virtua Forest to stop the CPU of Planeptune from making the biggest mistake of her life.
> 
> Sorry if it felt like there was a little too much filler in this one. Covering both real and imaginative things for both series does make these a bit long. Then again, now that I think about it, both Puyo Puyo and Neptunia do have a lot of filler cutscenes int heir games. So, I guess it works out.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	8. The Truth of the Zodiac Stones

**Resta's POV**

"Let's see…according to this map, I should be in a place called Virtua Forest. This is where the problem is, right?"

…

" _ ***sigh***_ I hope I'm not lost again…"

Not long ago, I woke up in this same strange forest not knowing where I am. My memories of what happened are kinda vague. Only remembering two girls using one of the Zodiac Stones to kill me and the others.

But…for some reason, I'm not sure how…I didn't die and actually ended up in yet **ANOTHER** new world. Which kinda sucks, honestly. I actually liked Primp despite its weirdness. Maybe I can get the others to come see what it's like.

…

O-Once I figure out what happened to them, of course.

In the meantime, though…I found a small town here that was dealing with some kind of problem. And so, with nothing else to do, I offered to help them out. Which explains why I'm back walking in this forest again.

But there was one problem with it all…

"Just what in the hell is a Dogoo? I was so eager to do such a job that I truly forgot to ask. _***sigh***_ _Guess I just have to get lucky with it._ "

"Bowooze."

"H-Huh? Wh-Who…"

"Bowooze."

I looked down at my feet to see…a light-blue blob of jelly with what looked like a dog's face on it looking back at me. It was really weird to look at it. And it felt kinda gross, for some reason.

But at the same time, it was also intriguing.

"Uh…hey there." I spoke to it. "Are you a Dogoo?"

"Bowooze."

_Wh-What?_

"Uh…are you the one causing trouble for the people?"

"Bowooze."

…

…

…

_What's with this sudden feeling of déjà vu?_

"Uh…okay then. I'm just gonna look somewhere else. See you around, dog…blob thing." I then tried to walk away from the thing and continue my search for whatever this Dogoo thing was.

The reason I said "try" was because…

"Bowooze!"

"Huh? H-Hey! Let go! You weird dog blob!" I yelled as this thing had suddenly engulfed my left leg with its whole body.

"Bowooze!"

"Get off! You're freaking gross! **Antares!** "

***BOOM***

" _Bowooooooze…!_ " Using the Citrine, I powered up my leg enough to fling the slime thing off my leg and across the grassy field we were on. It then disappeared in a digital-like fog never to be seen again.

…

…

…

"O…kay. Not sure what happened just now. But at least it's ove-"

"Bowooze! Bowooze!"

"Wh-What?"

"Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze!"

" **Th-There's MORE of them?!** " I shouted in a panic as I saw a whole bunch of those bobby dog things heading towards me. The only instinct I had in me right now was to run like hell.

"Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze!"

" **O-Okay! I'm definitely starting to believe that these things are the Dogoos they were talking about! BUT HOW THE HELL DO I TAKE THEM DOWN?!** "

"Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze! Bowooze!"

" **Gah! Somebody help me! Get me out of this crazy world!** "

"Bowooze! Bowooze! B-Bowooooooooooooooo!"

***BOOM***

…

"Wh…What?" I sat there in shock as I had witnessed one of these Dogoos suddenly expand itself and explode in a violent manner. Its existence nothing more than a gooey puddle on the grassy field.

_H-Holy crap. Wh-What was that?_

"B-Bowooze? Bow…B- **Bow Bow Bowoooooooooooooze!** "

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

And then soon after, more of them started to explode violently. One by one, their deaths were quick and looked extremely painful. Meanwhile, I just sat in horror of the sudden massacre of these creatures that I just met not that long ago.

"Wh-What the hell…"

" _Ah~. The sweet sudden deaths of all those worthless Dogoos was a satisfaction to my soul. Their screams of total pain before they all died was like music to my ears. I want more people to suffer! Suffer under the pain and misery that I'll soon spread all across Gamindustri! It'll all feel so nepping good to my goddamn soul! Hahahaha~!_ "

"Wh-Who are you?" I asked the lilac-haired girl who had suddenly showed up.

" _Oh? You don't look familiar. Ya new here?_ "

"Uh…y-yeah."

" _ ***demented giggle***_ _Oh, boy! Fresh meat! I get to inflict torturous never-ending pain to someone I don't know! Such a thrill to my burning soul! Hahahaha~!_ "

"T-Torturous…n-never-ending pain?" I was starting to get rather scared of this girl. Not because of her creepy demented-like behavior. But because of the sheer power I was feeling thanks to the citrine reacting to it.

_Th-This power…it feels just like the Sagittarius Topaz! Why the hell is it coming from this girl?! Did she do something to Sagey and even the others?!_

" _ ***demented giggle***_ _Time to die, newbie!_ _ **Ascella!**_ "

"Gah! **Antares!** "

***BOOM***

I countered the sudden barrage of blue light arrows with my own spell just in time. Leading me to become face-to-face with this psycho girl. Ready for a fight.

_No doubt about it. That was one of Sagey's spells. This girl did something to her and I'm gonna make her spill it all._

" _Gah! You're putting up a fight?! Don't make this any harder than it should! I want my soul to feel good, damnit!_ "

"I don't know who you are or what your problem is. But you did something to my friends and I'm gonna make you pay for it! **Let's go, crazy girl! You and me! Right now!** "

" _ ***demented giggle***_ _Fine then. No shame in a little challenge. My shattered soul will feel more satisfaction from the extra work I made from giving so much fear and pain to you!_ _ **Let's nepping go, newbie! Hahahaha~!**_ "

With my first actual fight in this world underway, I was ready to take this psycho girl down and figure out what happened to my friends on that day.

When they potentially risked their lives to save my own.

_Sagey…Neva…Spille…Raum…don't worry. I'll soon return the favor to you all! I promise!_

* * *

**Amitie's POV**

"Woah…this place is actually pretty beautiful." I said as I looked around this place. To which they call Virtua Forest. It really was a sight to behold. Mountains with waterfalls, tall green trees & healthy-looking plants, futuristic structures like purple rings over the path we were on, and metal bridges to cross the super clean river.

The sheer beauty of this place completely puts Nahe Forest to shame. And I don't feel bad for saying that, either.

"Now's not the time for sightseeing, Am." IF said to me. "We need to hurry up and find Nep before she seriously hurts herself or someone else."

"Right, right. So, uh…where do we start? This forest seems rather big."

"Well, the Dogoo problem is not that far from here. Maybe Nep went over there."

"I see…" I then thought for a moment. "You know, you never did explain what this Dogoo thing is."

"Oh, that." Nepgear said. "Dogoos are these slime monsters with a dog's face on them."

…

…

…

"What?" I said in disbelief.

"It may sound ridiculous. But they can get really dangerous. Especially in groups."

"Plus the slime they leave behind is super icky and gross." Compa added.

"Right…" Was all I said.

_So, I guess this world has its fair share of weird-looking creatures, too…_

"Anyway." IF said. "Now that you know, let's go look for…"

***BOOM***

" **Woah! Wh-What was that?!** " I shouted once we heard a huge explosion out of nowhere.

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

***BOOM***

"It sounds like it's coming from up ahead." Compa said. "Could that be Nep-Nep?"

"If that's the case, then we took too damn long. Come on! No more dilly-dallying!"

"Right!" We all agreed with IF as we made a mad dash for the sight of the explosions.

We followed the loud explosions to a deeper section of the forest. As we did, the explosions grew louder and louder. So, it was clear that we were getting closer.

Which made me think in the back of my mind of the current situation.

_What's gonna happen once we find Neptune? Are we really going to fight her? If it truly comes to blows…_

…

_I might just have to use…_ _**that** _ _._

"The explosions seemed to stop here…" IF said.

"Neptune! Are you here?! Say something!" Nepgear yelled out.

It was then that we heard rustling coming from the nearby bushes. Startling us all for a bit.

"Neptune?! Is that you?! Please come out already!"

"Neptune? Who's that?" A voice responded.

"Huh?"

"Wait, I know that voice!" I cheered.

After more rustling happened, the owner of the voice stepped out from the bushes and made herself visible. Brushing off the extra leaves that were still stuck to her long braided dark maroon hair.

"Resta!"

"Huh? Amitie? You're here, too?"

"Yep! Glad to see you're safe."

"So, you're Resta." IF said. "Thank God you were easy to find."

"Uh…what? Easy to find? You were looking for me specifically?"

"I'm IF. That's Compa and the other girl is Nepgear. Long story short, we have a problem on our hands and Amitie said finding you would be a big help."

"A problem, huh? Well, I guess that makes sense. So, what's this problem?"

"We're looking for this girl named Neptune." Nepgear said. "She's my sister and Amitie's cousin."

"Neptune?" Resta thought for a bit. "Is she this purple-ish haired girl wearing a black jacket of some kind?"

"Y-Yes, that's her! You saw her?!"

"Saw her? I almost had to fight her if I weren't so lucky at the last minute."

"Almost fight her?" We all asked.

"Follow me and I'll show you."

And so, we followed Resta through the bushes until we reached a dead-end of sorts. And there, on the grassy ground in front of us…was Neptune. Fast asleep in the exposed sunlight above her.

"N-Neptune?" Nepgear said in shock.

"What happened to her?" Compa asked Resta.

"I encountered her while I was taking on this Dogoo-thing mission for the town I ended up in. She completely annihilated the group that was attacking me. And she was gonna do the same to me. All to "satisfy her shattered soul". Whatever that means."

"So, you fought her?" I asked.

"Technically, no. Because after a few seconds into it, she collapsed and fell asleep. I had no idea what was going on…but I decided to stay and watch over her until she either woke up or the few explosions that were made attracted someone. Whichever came first."

"Wowie…"

" _ ***sigh***_ That sounds just like something Nep would do." IF said with an exasperated look.

"Well, at least we found her…" Nepgear said. "Thank you for watching over my sister, Resta. We were really worried about her."

"Don't mention it. At the end of it all, she was just a defenseless girl sleeping in the middle of a forest." Resta then went silent for a bit. "D-Despite mass-murdering a bunch of blobby dog-faced creatures with little to no remorse. That was creepy as hell."

"I-I see…" Nepgear said as we all gained a sweatdrop.

_Just what the hell did my cousin do while in that state of mind?_

"Hey, by the way…where exactly am I? I remember being sucked into this portal back in Primp and…that's about it."

"We'll explain once we get back." IF said. "For now, let's just get Nep back home so that she could rest."

" _Mmm~. Pudding…sweet delicious pudding…come into my mouth, you delectable creamy goodness~. I'll snarf you all down~. Hahahaha~._ "

…

…

…

"Uh…I think Nep-Nep's resting just fine, Iffy." Compa said after we all had heard Neptune talk in her sleep.

_So, she really is a pudding-obsessed freak…_

* * *

**Neptune's POV**

"So, I went crazy again, huh? Sorry about that." I said in shame after I had woken up and Nepgear was telling me what had happened a couple of hours ago.

"Don't worry about it, Nep-Nep. We're just glad you're safe." Compa said.

"Yeah, same here." Uzume added. " _But, man…you really do pack a punch when you're not right in the head. Ow…_ "

"S-Sorry, Uzume." Was all I could say.

"Now, then." Histy spoke. "Since Neptune is back to her normal self, let us get to business. Miss Resta…have you understood the current situation?"

"I guess…" I was introduced to Amitie's friend Resta. A princess from a different world who is actually very knowledgeable about these Zodiac Stone things. If that's the case, then maybe she can figure out how to restore my soul and make me completely normal.

_I mean…the main protag can't be a psycho girl lusting for blood. That'll raise the current age rating._

"…Although, it's still rather insane to comprehend. So, this girl named Kurome A-An…ko…ku…wh-whatever…teamed up with Ridel to get revenge. And that Arfoire witch is from this world…and she destroyed Neptune's soul with a Zodiac Stone?"

"That's the gist of it." Iffy said.

"We were hoping if you knew a way to restore my sister's soul, Resta. Since they came from your world and all." Nepgear added.

"Well…I can see how you believe that a Zodiac Stone is the cause of it. Considering that Arfoire lady had two of them. But the thing is…Zodiac Stones don't destroy souls."

"Huh?!" We all yelled in shock.

"W-Wait, seriously?! They don't?!" Amitie asked.

"Nope. And come to think about it, they don't open portals to either kill people or send them to different worlds. All they really do is give you astrological power. So, what happened thus far is because of Arfoire and Kurome's own powers."

" _Aw, you gotta be nepping kidding me…_ " I whined in disappointment.

"Sorry to disappoint. But that's the truth. To be quite frank, I'm not sure why they came after the stones. _Or what they did to my friends…_ "

"You're friends?"

"A-Aw, crap. Did I say that out loud? _Damnit…_ "

"Are you friends in danger, Resty?" Compa asked.

"Resty?" Resta questioned the nickname Compa suddenly gave her. But then brushed it off for now. "A-Anyway, I shouldn't be bringing this up now. It doesn't seem all that important…"

"You might as well." Iffy said. "If the Zodiac Stones don't destroy souls, as you said, then learning more about them could help us in restoring Nep's soul."

"Miss Resta. If you know of more information, please do share it with us." Histy added.

"Uhh…well, okay. It looks like I don't really have a choice, anyway." Resta then made a quick sigh before continuing on. "As I've stated before, the Zodiac Stones are from my own world. Along with myself, there are four other girls who each guard a Zodiac Stone of their own.

The Sagittarius Topaz…guarded by the Sagittarius Princess Sagey.

The Capricorn Emerald…guarded by the Capricorn Princess Neva.

The Virgo Zircon…guarded by the Virgo Princess Spille.

The Libra Opal…guarded by the Libra Princess Raum.

And finally, the one that I have now. The Scorpio Citrine. These stones give us power originating from the constellations themselves. Alongside the multiple Scorpios, Sagittarii, Capricorns, Virgos, and Libras scattered across the universe."

"Woah…" Compa, Amitie, and I said in amazement.

"So, then why would Kurome, Ridel, and Arfoire want those stones?" Umio asked.

"I honestly have no idea. When that Arfoire lady attacked my world, she was after me specifically. I tried fighting her off, but I was losing badly. That's when the other Zodiac Princesses dealt with her while giving me a chance to escape. And that's how I ended up in Primp and met Amitie and friends."

"And then just days later, we encountered Ridel and Kurome and got sent here." Amitie added.

"I see." Histy said. "So, the Zodiac Stones are not the cause of Neptune's soul being shattered. But at the same time, we do not know the trio's true intentions with them."

"In other words…we have zero leads." Iffy said with an exasperated look.

"Sorry if I wasn't much help…" Resta said.

"Actually, you were a huge help, Resta. Because of you, we now know what these Zodiac Stones really are. And that some of them might be here in Gamindustri."

"Yeah, but the problem still is to find them." Uzume said. "Who knows where those three can be. Especially with the other me's ability to hide in the shadows so freaking well."

"Right. There is that."

" _Oh, no…_ "

"What's wrong, Nepgear?" I asked as she made a worried noise.

"I got messages from Uni. They're…not good in the slightest."

"Not good?"

"That same person who filmed Neptune's first instance of going insane filmed her murdering all those Dogoos and posted it online. And like the last one, it's gone viral."

" **Wh-What?! Are you nepping kidding me?! Who the hell is trying to…** _ **Gah!**_ " I then nearly fell to the floor while holding my chest in pain.

"N-Neptune?! What's wrong?!"

" _M-My chest…i-it's burning again. It hurts…but damn, does it feel good. Who would've thought that your shattered soul burning in an internal flame would feel so nepping amazing?! I never want this pleasurable sense of pain to end! I wanna feel this much suffering for all nepping eternity! Hahahaha!_ "

" **Aw, crap! Not again!** " Uzume yelled.

" **Nep-Nep! Snap out of it!** "

***SLAP***

"Ow! Compa, why'd you slap me?!" I whined after Compa had slapped me rather hard.

"You were losing you sanity again, Nep. We didn't really have a choice." Iffy said.

"Really? Again? Aw, man…"

_I can't believe I went insane again. And in front of Amitie, too. I can only imagine her thoughts of me have changed completely now._

"Hmm…so it seems that there is a trigger to the loss of sanity."

"A trigger? What do you mean, Umio?" Uzume asked her fish friend.

"Before Nepsy's personality changed, she was feeling a specific emotion, correct?"

"Well, yeah." I said. "I was angry that someone keeps videotaping me while in that state of mind. That's like…invasion of privacy, y'know."

"I think you have worse things to think about than invasion of privacy, Sis…" Nepgear said with a sweatdrop.

"Wait, so…the trigger is anger?" Amitie asked.

"Come to think of it, the last thing Nepsy was thinking about before going insane at the Guild was how so many people were staring at her and making baseless rumors." Uzume said. "She got rather angry because of that. And that was when said her chest was hurting."

"Oh, yeah…I kinda remember that happening…" I said with guilt.

"So, with all of that, you must learn to control your anger, Nepsy." Umio said. "Otherwise, your soul will continue to dwindle in size until it completely shatters. And it that were to happen…"

"Aw, geez! I don't even want to imagine what that would be like!" Nepgear yelled in fear.

"Got it, Nep? Keep your anger in check." Iffy said to me.

"I get it…but for some reason, I feel like doing that is easier said than done."

"Don't worry, Nep-Nep." Compa said. "If you go crazy again, I'll just slap you silly until you're back to normal."

"Pl-Please don't." I gained a little fear.

"Still, though…we must find out who is posting those videos and starting these baseless rumors about Neptune." Histy said.

"It has to be someone who's willing to work with Arfoire." Nepgear said. "Or at least is used to dealing with her."

"Used to dealing with her, huh?" Iffy said. "I think I have a good idea on who it is."

"You do?"

"Yep. Let's go. Time to do some interrogating."

"IF sure looks determined…" Amitie said to me.

"Almost like a real leader…" Resta added.

"Yeah, she is. But get this. If you take Iffy's phone away from her, she turns into a total…"

***PINCH***

" _ **Ow! Ow, ow, ow!**_ "

"Let's go, you." Iffy said as she had grabbed me by the ear and started dragging me out the door.

" _ **Ow! Iffy, stop! That's my ear! Iffyyyyyy~!**_ "

_This is_ _**NOT** _ _how you treat the Protag!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the Scorpio Princess relocated, Neptune and friends learn that the Zodiac Stones are not the cause of her shattered soul. And that the villainous trio's true intentions with them might be bigger than just simple revenge.
> 
> An important note to make. Starting next chapter, the whole story will be in Resta's POV only. I stated back in chapter 1 that she is the main character. And having other characters have a POV is defeating that purpose. So, I'm making this now.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	9. Ratting Out a Mystery Accomplice

**Resta's POV**

"Woah…you know, I never took a good full look at this place, but…it's actually pretty freaking amazing."

"Glad you think that, Resta." Neptune said to me. "It's nice for the leader to hear such praise about the nation she rules over."

"W-Wait, what? You mean **YOU** rule this place, Neptune?"

"I know, right? I had the same reaction." Amitie said.

"Yep, that's right. Here, I'm known as CPU Purple Heart. And I protect and rule all of Planeptune and its citizens. Pretty nepping sweet, right? Both of us being rulers of a nation."

"Yeah, I guess." I said. "But honesty…I actually thought Histoire ruled this place."

" **Nep-what?!** "

"Well, that's a first." IF said. "Usually, people mistake Gear as the ruler due to how mature she is."

"What made you think Histoire was the ruler, Resty?" Compa asked.

_I'm still not sure about that nickname…_

"Kinda the same reason, really. Histoire looks and acts so mature while Neptune reminds me of a kid still going through puberty."

" **What?! THAT'S how you see me?!** " Neptune yelled.

"Sorry, Neptune. But it's the truth. In fact, when you told me that you and Amitie are cousins, I figured that you were the same age as her."

"Well, she isn't. Oddly enough." IF said.

"What do you mean?"

" _Not this again…_ " Neptune whined.

"According to Nep, she insists that she's older than Amitie. Even though there isn't really any proof to back that claim up."

"Well, hey. Since you're here, Am, what do you think about it?" Uzume asked.

"Well…" Amitie thought about it. "…It's true that we're similar in height, weight, and even our style of hair. But as for age, I'm not really sure. Neither Neptune nor Nepgear ever told me their ages."

"That's because we don't **HAVE** any!" Neptune yelled.

"You could go with being 17, Nep-Nep." Compa said.

" **I'm not 17!** "

"Well, isn't there a way to randomly give these two an age?" I asked.

" _Can't we just put this nepping conversation to rest already?_ "

"Well, there is." Nepgear said. "But we may have to break the 4th wall a little bit."

"Break the 4th wall?" Amitie and I were confused.

"Huh? You mean you two have never done it before?"

"Done what, exactly?" I asked.

"What's this "4th wall" and why do we have to break it?" Amitie asked.

"It's usually for comedic events." IF said. "But it's mainly a good way to interact with the players playing the game. Or, in this case, the readers reading this story."

"The readers?" We were confused again.

"You know. The ones in the real world."

"The real world?"

…

…

…

"Wait… **ARE WE NOT REAL?!** " We both then shouted after thinking it over.

"Did you seriously not know that?" IF gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, they are from different dimensions, IF. It's probably not as obvious there as it is here." Nepgear said.

"That's true…"

"Anyway…let's put this topic aside for now. I think we gave Amitie and Resta too much shock."

" _And me too much misery._ " Neptune complained.

"Um…right. So…where are we going?" Amitie asked.

"We're heading for a video game store here in town." IF said. "It's where we'll find the rat that's been posting those videos. Figuratively and literally."

"Huh?" Amitie and I didn't get it.

"You'll see."

* * *

And so, we arrived at this video game store that IF was talking about. It wasn't all that crowded despite its futuristic look.

But the one thing that caught my attention almost immediately…were two child-sized mice in some kind of conversation.

…

What the hell kind of place is this?

"Hey, what are you slacking off for? If you're able to slack off, then go help our customers." Said a white mouse with an apron and a red bow on her (I'm assuming it's female) tail.

" _Ugh._ This again, chu?" Complained a black mouse with tiny wings and a weird-as-hell tail. "I've questioned this multiple times before…but why the hell do I gotta work part-time at this freaking game shop? I got tons of things that are **WAY** worth my time than this, chu."

"Do you really?"

"Of, course, chu. For instance…I'd rather be on a date with Compa… _ ***sigh***_ _Oh, my lovely perfect Compa…it's been far too long since we last saw each other, chu._ "

"As usual, Warechu's got Compa wrapped around his brain." Said a girl with short blonde hair with pigtails. Wearing a very…orangey dress of sorts.

" _ ***sigh***_ What else is new when it comes to him?" The white mouse said in defeat.

" _Oh, Compa…what I would do to see you once more. Your perfect body, your beautiful light-pink hair, your sweet & peaceful angelic voice…_"

"Is my voice really that angelic?"

"Chuuu?! Th-That voice…c-could it be…?"

"Hello, Mister Mouse."

" **C-Compa! You're here! Fate has finally turned to my side!** "

"Oh, geez. Get a freaking grip." IF said with an exasperated tone.

"Hey! What's up, everyone?! Long time no see!" Neptune yelled out.

"Oh, what a surprise." The white mouse said. "Hello, everyone."

"Nep-Nep! What's up, my CPU best friend?!" The blonde-haired cheered as the two were high-fiving each other.

"Oh, you know. The usual stuff. Another crazy adventure is unfolding for us."

"Yeah, I can tell. You already got two people that look all too new to me. Who are they?"

"Well, for starters…" Neptune then went towards Amitie and wrapped her arm around her neck. "…This is our cousin Amitie. She comes from a different dimension."

"Woah! You have a cousin, Nep-Nep?! That's so wicked!"

"Yeah, I know, right?! So totally wicked!"

" _It would be super totally wicked if you would let go of my neck, Neptune…_ " Amitie complained as she was slowly losing air.

"And this is Resta." Nepgear said as we stood next to each other. "She's also from a different dimension. One different from Amitie's, though."

"Um…hello." I said. Still mildly confused about what exactly was going on and why are we here.

"Well, don't you look like a sweet mature girl." The white mouse said. "I'm the manager of this store, Chuko."

"I'm B-Sha." Said the blonde girl. "A member of the group known as Gold Third. Nice to meet you."

"Compa! To have us reunite after such a long time a part…it must truly be fate finally on my side for once, chu!"

" _ ***giggle***_ You're so good at telling jokes, Mister Mouse."

"And the mouse derping over Compa over there is Warechu." B-Sha gained a sweatdrop. "He's less so an employee here and more so a petty thief who steals retro games and consoles. He also has a thing for Compa."

"S-Seriously?" I asked in shock. "A mouse has romantic feelings for a human girl?"

"Yeah, but it's totally unrequited." IF said. "Though the rat's too dense to figure it out for himself."

"I see…"

" _Personally, I think they're both dense._ " Uzume whispered to me.

" _You and me both, sister._ "

"So, what brings you all here today?" Chuko asked.

"Actually…" IF said. "…We have a few questions to ask the lovestruck rat over there."

"Huh?" And this apparently got Warechu's attention away from Compa.

"Warechu did something bad again? Why am I not surprised?" B-Sha said while completely unamused.

"H-Hold on, chu! Why are you quick to blame me?! I didn't do anything, chu!"

"And you think we'll believe you just like that?" IF asked. "With your record, anything you say can be a lie."

"That may be true, chu…" Warechu gained a sweatdrop. "…but I'm telling you the truth, chu! I ain't done nothing since you all dumped me in this part-time job thing!"

"You mean you're working?" Nepgear asked.

"Because at the end of it all, I'm too damn tired to actually do any crimes, chu."

"I see…" Nepgear gained a sweatdrop.

"Iffy. I think Mister Mouse is telling the truth." Compa said.

"Seriously, Compa? You believe him?"

"He wouldn't be pleading if he wasn't. I think we should listen to him."

"You can't be serious…"

"At least Compa has the sweet compassion in her heart to hear me out, chu." Warechu said while lovestruck again.

_This is just so weird to watch…_

"Come to think of it, what brought this up in the first place?" Chuko asked.

"It must be important if you were quick to accuse Warechu so fast." B-Sha added.

"Well…"

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"…And that's basically what's happening." Nepgear explained the story so far.

"You're kidding…That Kurome girl is back?" B-Sha asked. "I thought she died."

"We all did." Uzume said. "But somehow she was revived. And now she wants revenge along with Arfoire and a girl from Amitie's world."

"Typical stuff, really." Neptune added.

"Uh…I wouldn't call having your soul shattered "typical stuff", Nep-Nep." B-Sha gained a concerned sweatdrop.

"Heh. So, that old hag's still at it, huh?" Warechu asked. "I always figured that she was so desperate. But knowing that she's the one who made the CPU a crazy broad is pretty interesting. And also satisfying."

" _Satisfying? So, you're fine with me like this?_ " Neptune asked. In a tone of voice that had the rest of us tense up in shock.

" _Aw, crap. Not again._ " Amitie whispered.

" _I-IF! I-It's about to happen again!_ " Nepgear whispered.

" _Normally, I would be worried, too. But let's play this out a little longer._ "

" _Wh-What?!_ "

" _Trust me, Gear. I have a plan._ "

"It doesn't bother me, chu. In a way, his is more like payback for all the times you pesky CPUs pelted me with those attacks. I'm surprised she didn't outright kill you, chu. My tiny mouse body would sure be grateful, chu."

" _Oh, really? That's good to know._ "

***STOMP***

" **Gah! M-My tail, chu!** "

" _Ya know…ever since I first saw ya all those years ago, I always thought you were a disgusting oversized sewer rat. Pathetically committing petty crimes because nobody…human or rat…gave a damn about you. You worthless abomination of a creature._ "

"Wh-What?" Warechu looked scared for his life.

"W-W-Woah…N-Nep-Nep is actually terrifying…"

"M-My cute mouse body is trembling like crazy…" B-Sha and Chuko were also scared of what was happening in front of them. As they never knew the true extent of Neptune going insane.

_And even now, I'm still a little terrified. Even though I know that she has some of the Sagittarius Topaz's power._

" _I always wondered what kind of screams you'll make while in undeniable pain~. Wailing and crying as I tear your pathetic rodent body limp from nepping limp~. The desire of it all is making my burning soul flare-up in excitement~!_ _ **Maybe I'll finally find that out right nepping now!**_ "

" **Gah! W-Wait! Pl-Please! Don't hurt me, chu! I-I'll do anything, chu!** " Warechu began pleading for his life.

" _Anything? Like what?_ _ **Spit it out before I change my mind!**_ "

" **Gaaah! O-Okay! I-I-I'll tell you! I do know something about those three! I'll tell you everything, chu!** "

"And…that's a wrap." IF said with a smirk as she slapped Neptune in the back of the head.

" _Ow…Iffy, why'd you hit me?_ " Neptune whined.

"W-Wait, was this that plan you mentioned?" Nepgear asked.

"I knew the rat was lying. So, I let him talk until he pissed off Nep somehow. And get the truth out of fear."

"W-Wow…"

"Geez. That's some devious thinking." I said.

"Although, it did cost a bit of your remaining soul, Nep. Sorry about that."

"It's fine, I guess. I don't really remember what just happened, to be perfectly honest."

" _G-Geez…I almost got killed by a demented CPU, chu. Fate really keeps screwing with me, chu._ " Warechu mumbled to himself.

"Alright, rat. Start talking. What are those three doing?"

"I don't know what they're doing, chu. I'm totally clueless when it comes to those stone things. All I really know is who's been filming the CPU going crazy, chu."

"H-Huh?! You mean you know who it is?!" Nepgear asked in shock.

"That old hag actually came to me to do it. But I was too tired to even hear her out. Frustrated, she then told this girl standing next to her that she'll have to do it, chu."

"Wait, Arfoire was with another person? Who was she?"

" _Ugh…_ I think I've said enough already…"

"Want Nep to make you kiss your tail goodbye?" IF asked.

" **N-No!** I-I mean, fine…"

" _Uh…kiss his tail goodbye? What did I do?_ " Neptune whispered to us.

" _Not much._ " Uzume said. " _But it was still pretty scary._ "

"She was this pink-haired girl with a black hoodie mostly covering her up, chu. Only being able to see her face and two bangs. She looked pretty new. I've never seen her around before, chu."

" _A pink-haired girl with a black hoodie…her face and two bangs being the only one visible…_ " I mumbled to myself.

_Why does that description sound…familiar?_

"I think they were heading over to Rebeat Resort, chu. Something about their next phase going into action or something like that, chu."

"Their next phase, huh?" IF asked. "At least we know where they are now."

"Rebeat Resort is a bit of a trip." Nepgear said. "But isn't too far from here."

" _ ***sigh***_ There. That's all I know, chu. Now leave me and my tail alone."

"Don't cause any trouble and we won't have to bother you." IF said.

"Tch. Whatever, chu."

"Don't feel too bad, Mister Mouse." Compa said. "What you told us was very helpful in the long run."

"N-No problem, my dear Compa! Anything for you, chu!"

"Geez. This guy keeps doing a 180 with his personality, it's hard to take him seriously." I said.

"No one really does. So, it's fine." B-Sha said with a sweatdrop.

"I see…"

_I don't think I'll ever understand this nonsensical world…_

* * *

And so, after leaving that video game store, we were now at a boating dock about to go to this place called Rebeat Resort. To confront this person that's been filming Neptune going crazy and posting it online.

…

_Although…I can't shake off this feeling that I know who this person is._

"So, how do we get to this Rebeat Resort place?" Amitie asked.

"There's a boat that can take us there in about 30 minutes or so. It won't be too bad." Nepgear said.

"I see."

"So, once we get there, we'll have to start looking for a pink-haired girl with a black hoodie that barely exposes her face and bangs." IF said. " _ ***sigh***_ That description sounds almost impossible to figure out."

"Maybe she's from the same worlds as Ami or Resty." Compa said.

"I've never heard of her." Amitie quickly debunked the idea on her end. "What about you, Resta?"

…

"Resta…"

…

" **Hey! Resta! Wake up, girl!** " Neptune yelled as she shook me back and forth.

"H-Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just…thinking of something."

"Of what? Do you know who that girl is?"

…

"For some reason…I-I actually do."

"For real?!" Everyone asked.

"At least, I think I do. The description sounds familiar…but I can't think of a name for it. It's almost as if I barely know this person."

"Does this mean that there's a fourth person involved in this?" Compa asked.

"We don't know for sure." IF said. "But at least we know that Arfoire's over there."

"We'll just have to rush on over there and make that old hag talk!" Uzume yelled out with a tight fist.

"Hell yeah! I'm gonna make Arbore pay for shattering my soul! _And then some!_ _ ***demented giggle***_ "

We all then looked at Neptune with mildly worrying looks on our faces. Panicking that she was going to go insane again.

"Neptune, please. Remember what Umio said." Nepgear said.

"I know, it's just…it's hard, you know. I honestly thought I was going to die. But to have this happen…I mean I'm grateful to still be alive. But I'm pissed as all hell that Arfoire did this to me. I want revenge! I want her to pay! _I want her to suffer under the great massive pain I'll endlessly inflict on her! To hear her cries of everlasting pain as I mutilate her purple-toned body into nothing but a bloody corpse!_ _ **YOU HEAR ME, ARBORE?! I WILL ****ING KILL YOU! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_ "

As Neptune was raging, her body began to glow a blue-colored aura. And then suddenly, she started punching a nearby wall with an extreme amount of rage and power.

The latter…was caused by a symbol on Neptune's arm. That shocked the everlasting hell out of me.

 _A bow and arrow…the symbol of Sagittarius! I know Neptune has some of the_ _Sagittarius Topaz's power fused with her. But for it to be to this extent…_

I then notice the Scorpio Citrine barely glowing around my neck. And as I looked at it, I figured out what it could possibly be telling me.

_No way…so she is here. And nearby, too. She must be the cause of Neptune's increased power. It just has to be._

" **Nep! Calm the hell down!** "

" **You're burning up your soul, damnit!** "

" _ **AS IF I ****ING CARE! I WON'T BE SATISFIED UNTIL THAT OLD PURPLE HAG IS SIX FEET UNDER THIS GODDAMN NATION! SHE NEEDS TO PAY WITH HER LIFE!**_ "

Meanwhile, IF and Uzume were trying to calm Neptune down from her rage fit. While Nepgear and Compa were watching in total fear.

And Amitie was…

" _Goddamnit, Neptune…_ **SHUT UP!** "

***POW***

…

…

…

"W…Woah…" We all said in shock after Amitie had punched Neptune in the face. And not just that, but the green wristband on her left arm was glowing and her right arm (the one she punched Neptune with) was patterned with a weird glowing rainbow marking that ran up the entire arm.

And with that single punch, Neptune had returned to normal. And was just as shocked as the rest of us after she too realized that her cousin had punched her in the face.

" _ ***sigh***_ Sorry I had to do that. But you were really losing it this time." Amitie said as she had placed her hat back on her head. Somehow making the glowing from both arms stop almost instantly.

"W-W-Woah, woah! Wait a second! What the hell was that?!" IF asked.

"Your arm was all glowing and crap! Like a freaking rainbow of some kind!" Uzume added.

"It's…complicated to explain. And besides, it's not important right now. We should head over to that resort place before whatever this "next phase" of theirs starts being active." With that, Amitie went on ahead. Leaving the rest of us still shocked as to what just happened.

"Uh…Nep-Nep. Ge-Ge. I don't think Ami is a normal 17-year-old." Compa said.

"I never thought it was possible…but is Amitie now hiding something from us?" Nepgear asked.

"Whatever it is…I don't think she'll be willing to tell us so willingly." Uzume said.

…

"Well…let's just go." Neptune said. "She'll tell us when she's good and ready." And as she walked off, the others went with her. Not really much questioning her calm demeanor after what just happened.

" _ ***sigh***_ _Aw, geez…_ "

"Hey, Resta. Are you getting the same feeling I'm feeling right now?" IF asked me.

"That something big and highly difficult to understand is going to happen in the next chapter? Yep. Pretty much."

_At least I understand this "story" thing now…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for an update for this story. But I actually had a good reason for the drought.
> 
> I now have Megadimension Neptunia VII in my possession.
> 
> I got the game sometime last week for the Switch and I was trying to get to a certain point before I continued with this story. And I have (mildly) successfully gotten to that point.
> 
> The game's fun so far. Even though I watched the whole thing on YouTube first so I know what's going to happen. Give it a try if you're new to the series. Despite it being the 4th main game in the series, you're not missing much in terms of story.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	10. Secrets & Plans Revealed

**Amitie's POV**

_Geez. I can't believe I actually had to do that. Not only did I had to punch Neptune in the face to calm her down, but I did it with my Light Soul powers._

_Luckily, it was just the normal powers and not any of the Copy Abilities. Otherwise, I definitely would've had to explain everything and reveal my secret._

…

_But at this rate, it won't be long before I would actually have to tell them. Or better yet, "show" them._

_I just hope that I'm mentally prepared for their reactions…_

"Hey…Amitie."

"Oh…Neptune." I said as I noticed my cousin standing next to me on the boat's railing. "S-Sorry about…punching you in the face."

"No, it's fine. If you didn't do that, I've would've been running around Planeptune in a raging fit again."

"Yeah, true."

"But still, that power…I've never felt anything like that before. What the nep was that?"

"It's…nothing to think about, Neptune. Don't worry about it."

""Don't worry about it"? Amitie, your whole arm was covered with some weird rainbow-y pattern. Whatever it is, it's definitely something to worry about. Why are you even hiding it from us, anyway?"

" _Why_? Why are **YOU** been so hypocritical all of a sudden? You never bothered to tell me that you're an ageless goddess who rules over an entire nation."

"That's because it was too complicated to explain. I didn't know how you would react to such a thing." Neptune then went silent as she looked away from me.

"I thought…you would think of me as a freak."

"A freak?" I asked.

"Because I sure as hell think so."

"Neptune…why do you think that of yourself?"

That was when Neptune turned back to look at the other girls. Probably making sure they weren't hearing our conversation. Then she turned back and made a huge sigh of sadness as she continued to look over the blue waters ahead of us.

"To be honest, Amitie…I hate being a CPU."

"Y-You…You hate it? B-But when we first met…and even these past two days…you were all happy and prideful about "being a CPU" and "ruling an entire nation" and "being a super-cute lovable protag!". Whatever that is."

_I'm still not used to this "story" thing, alright?_

"Yeah, I was. Then again, that was before I met you. And started coming over to your world to hang out. Well…it was mainly to escape the work Histy always piled up on me. But it was all the same, really."

"Right…"

"Basically…the more I came over to your world…hanging out with you and your friends, lounging around with Melody, and having days where I could just… **SOAK** **IN** the sheer peacefulness that world seems to have over my own…the more it made me realize that I want…no, **DESIRE** a normal life. That I want to rid myself of everything. Being a CPU and the responsibilities it comes with, the powers of HDD…hell, I wouldn't mind leaving Gamindustri and come live in Primp with you guys.

Point is…being a CPU, ruler of an entire nation, and having God-like powers that keep you young forever…isn't fun at all. It's actually a dull, tiring, never-ending cycle of sadness and depression. And I want the hell out of it."

"W-Wow…Neptune, I had no idea." I said in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's true. In fact, you could say that I'm…I'm jealous of you, Amitie."

"W-Wowie…"

I truly had no idea. These were Neptune's true feelings about her own life for the past two months. She hates the life she currently has…and wishes to live like me.

I never had anyone jealous of me before. To be honest, I would always be jealous of things like Raffina's wealthy lifestyle, Arle and Ringo finding love in each other, Feli having so many friends back in Toyama, Lidelle's insane appetite (as odd as that sounds)…

…

…

…

Peruvis having a big chest. There, I admit it! I hate being flat-chested, damnit!

 _ ***sigh***_ Point is…to have someone jealous of me for once…and that person being my own cousin, who _**rules an entire freaking nation to herself**_ , by the way…it's all just so mind-blowing to me.

…

…

…

But…I can kinda understand where she's coming from.

"Hey, Neptune…remember when I explained how I met Kirby and went to Dream Land and all that stuff?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well…before that, I was feeling like how you are now."

"Seriously? For real?"

"Yeah. I felt lonely and sad…like as if no one was there for me. I wasn't as close to my classmates as I wanted to and I'm still not the best when it comes to magic. Plus, I was still recovering from an event that changed my way of thinking and became less careless about things.

That's when one night, Kirby fell from the sky and crashed in my backyard. And it didn't take long for the little cutie to change my outlook on life. Now, I'm as happy as ever."

"Wow…" Neptune said in disbelief. "…I had no idea Kirby had **that** big of an impact on you, Amitie. You sure are lucky."

"Yeah, well…" I then went silent for a bit.

_***sigh*** _ _I might as well tell her…_

"…It wasn't just meeting him and going to Dream Land that did it for me. There's actually a third thing. A rather **HUGE** third thing."

"Rather **HUGE**? What could that be?"

"Well…"

"Hey, Nep! Am! Ship's about to dock!"

"Coming!" Neptune responded to IF. " _ ***sigh***_ _Damnit, Iffy. Right when it was getting good._ "

_Aw, well. Guess it's back to Plan A._

"Cheer up, Neptune. Once we get off this boat, we're gonna find the person who's been leaking those videos of you. Then your reputation will be saved. Sort of _._ "

"You didn't even try to hide the "sort of" part…" Neptune gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, it's not going to be easy."

"True. Oh, and Amitie…could you keep this conversation between us? I don't want the others to worry or think badly of me. Especially Nepgear."

"Yeah, I get it. I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks, Dear Cousin. I…I owe you one."

"No problem."

_Although, in the next few minutes, I'm gonna owe you back really really big._

* * *

**Jarne's POV**

" _Ugh! What the hell?! I've been wandering around this place since yesterday and I still don't know where I am! This sucks…_ "

This was me, Jarne. Complaining to literally no one as I continued walking around this port-like place surrounded by water. I had no idea where I was and I didn't know where the others were either. Or even if they were still alive.

"Geez, that Ridel…and that other girl, too. They were really trying to kill us, weren't they? But why were they after me, too? Compared to Lidelle, Amitie, and Resta I'm not that much of a threat.

And speaking of Resta…those two had a Zodiac Stone with them, didn't they? To think they would have _**that**_ much power…now it really matters that I help Resta find those things. For the sake of everyone's lives.

…

But where the hell am I supposed to find them? It's not like I'll just run into Ridel in this watery dump."

" _Ugh. Why the hell are we here, Kurome?_ "

…

"W-Wait, that voice…"

I turned over to a nearby platform to see my lucky turning into the best it could ever be. Ridel was **RIGHT THERE!** And so was that dark- blue girl from before! And also with them was…a girl with blue hair made into a single ponytail. And wearing an outfit that kinda reminded me of an archer of some kind.

And then I saw the bow & arrow in her hands. So, my guess was right.

But the one thing I noticed about her was how soulless her green eyes were. It creeped the hell outta me. It was like she was under some kind of mind-control or something.

…

Wait a second…

"I've told you, Ridel. We're using this place to initiate the take over of Planeptune." The dark-blue girl said.

" _If we're doing that, why don't you let me do it? I can murder an entire nation faster than this archer princess whatever._ "

"Yes, I know you can. But in order for our plan to work, we must have this place remain standing. For now."

" _And what for? You never went into detail about this "quest for revenge" you mentioned earlier._ "

"Right. I supposed I can tell you now." The girl then started giggling to herself in an evil-like way. Which gave me freaking chills.

"You see, Ridel…we are going to fuse the worlds."

_F-Fuse the…_ _**Fuse the WORLDS?!** _

" _Fuse the worlds? The hell's that gonna do?_ "

"When two or more worlds collide and share the same space, their dimensional barriers grow unstable and begin to shatter. And once they do, an apocalyptic nightmare will form. The collided worlds will tear apart piece by piece. Fully disintegrating the landmass and all who rest upon it. And with this method, all three worlds will cease to exists. Our enemies will be erased from our lives. And vengeance will be ours for all eternity. _***giggle***_ "

" _Woah…holy crap, Kurome. That's just pure evil. You're really are my kind of girl!_ _ **Nyahahahahahaha!**_ "

" _N-No way…so, that's what they plan on doing? They're freaking mass-murderers! At this rate, we're all gonna die in the hands of these two psychos! If only it were easy to stop them right here right now…_ "

"Then why don't you try and do it." I suddenly heard a voice talking to me. And I turned behind me to see…

" **Gah! Ugly old lady!** "

" **Who the hell are you calling ugly?! You disrespectful brat!** " Said this purple-toned witch lady in a pissed off tone. And next to her was a girl with pink hair being covered up by a black hoodie. I was only able to see her mouth and two bangs in the front. And she was quite emotionless, too.

"Arfoire. What are you doing over there?" The dark-blue girl asked.

_Crap! I've been spotted!_

" _Probably talking to herself cause she going senile._ " Ridel added.

" **I am not!** " The witch yelled. " **While you two were talking amongst yourselves, this dimwitted brat was here the whole time!** "

"Dimwitted? Well, that's demeaning coming from an old hag like you." I said.

" _ **Why you little…**_ "

" _What the?! Jarne?! How the hell are you still alive?!_ "

"Call it a lucky break. I'm just as shocked as you are."

" _Tch! If this one's still breathing then that means Lidelle is, too! Damnit, Kurome! You said they would all die in that black hole!_ "

"That was the plan. Someone must've interfered during the transition of space and time."

" _Space and time?_ " Ridel went silent for a bit. " _Tch. It must've been one of_ _ **those**_ _two…_ "

_Those two? What two is she talking about?_

"Well, no matter. She's already heard the details of our plan. So, we'll just kill her once more. You two. Take care of her."

"Why do I have to do it? I'm busy with my end of this plan, you know." The witch lady complained.

"Just do it." The girl next to her said. "This won't take long at all." She then walked closer to me and held up a lilac trigonal stone with a weird black symbol on it. Two curves with a line going across them.

And with the amount of power I felt from it, I knew it had to be one thing.

_Th-This is…a Zodiac Stone?! This girl freaking has one?! If that's the case, then fighting head-on would be a bad-as-hell idea! I gotta get outta here!_

" **Misty Hand!** "

***POOF***

" **Gah!** _ ***cough* *cough* *cough* Wh-What the hell…?!**_ "

I performed one of my spells to make the whole area filled with smoke. And then used this chance to make my escape. Problem is…I still have no idea where I am. So, I'm basically running in a random direction at this point.

But my mind was too much in a panic to even notice that.

_Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Oh, crap! This is bad, this is bad, this is_ _**BAD!** _ _Resta! Amitie!_ _**WHERE ARE YOU?!** _

* * *

**Resta's POV**

And so, we arrived at this place called Rebeat Resort. Which was really just this big open port in the middle of the ocean. There seem to be a bunch of creatures roaming around, too. Most of them small but a select few were…r-rather huge.

_I can only hope there isn't a repeat of the Dogoo situation…_

"So, uh…this is Rebeat Resort?" I asked. "The atmosphere here seems kinda out-ot-place for a dungeon."

"Yeah, no kidding." Amitie said. "When I think of dungeons, I think of dark depressing rundown buildings. Not a sunny port in the middle of the ocean."

"Ah, but that's how we differ from those other RPG games." Neptune said with a grin. "We don't copy/paste the same dungeon over and over again. Everything is all fresh and new. Like right now with you two being here."

"I see…" I made a mental note of that.

"Wow…looking back on it, it's been a long time since I've been here." Nepgear said.

"It actually brings back such wonderful memories." Compa added.

"Wonderful memories? What's so memorable about this place?" IF asked.

"Well, for starters, this is where I first met Uni." Nepgear said.

"And it's also where you gave Ge-Ge your first kiss, Iffy."

"You did _**what**_?" Neptune looked at IF with a look that highly gave out a " _what the hell?_ " kind of impression.

" **C-C-Compa!** " IF started blushing hard.

"W-Wow, IF. I didn't think you swung that way." Uzume said with a sweatdrop.

"It really is interesting…" I said. "…Though, I'm not against it or anything."

"Yeah, me neither." Amitie added. "Two of my friends back home are openly into other girls. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

" **I-I don't…I-I'm not…y-you guys have the WRONG idea! I only did that to give Gear some share energy for that fight with that Underling girl! It was the only thing I could think of!** "

"The _**only**_ thing?" The four of us questioned that.

" **Tch! G-Gear, help me out here! You know what happened, right?!** "

"Well, yeah. That is true." Nepgear said. "But even then… _you surprisingly kissing me like that really gave me butterflies in my stomach. It was my first kiss too, IF._ _***giggle***_ "

"Woah…Ge-Ge's gone lovestruck." Compa said.

"You gotta be kidding me…"

" _Iffy…_ " If then suddenly felt a chill up her spine when she finally noticed Neptune standing over her.

" _N-N-Nep, wait…_ "

" _Iffy…do you mind if we have a little chat~?_ "

"Tch! H-Hey, now that I think about it, we came here to look for those three, right?! L-Let's split up and search around! **I'll go this way!** "

" _ **Iffy~!**_ " Neptune yelled as IF ran away from her in mild fear.

"S-Sorry, Nep! Can't hear ya! I'm too busy looking in this direct-"

***BAM***

" _Ow…_ Geez, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going." IF said to a girl who she just bumped into. A girl with blue hair made into a ponytail and had two average-sized horns coming out of her head. And she also had a lot of smoke coming out of her.

This description meant the world to me because this was…

"It's fine. I was doing the same thing. Geez, I hope I freaking lost them…"

" **Jarne!** " Amitie and I yelled out.

"Huh? Resta! Amitie! You guys really are here! Awesome!"

"Hey, guys. Is this another friend of yours?" Uzume asked.

"This is Jarne." Amitie said. "She's from my world and is known as a djinn."

"What's a djinn?" Compa asked.

"A genie of sorts. Though, she doesn't grant wishes. She more-so has supernatural powers that involve her right hand."

"Just her right hand?" Nepgear asked.

"Hey, there ain't anything wrong about my right hand." Jarne said. "Using it every day makes me super freaking happy! **Ja-ja-ja-jaan!** "

"It sounds super wrong when you put it like _**that**_ , Jarne…" I said with a huge sweatdrop.

"Anyway…who are these people? Friends of yours, Amitie?"

"Well, sort of. These are my cousins Neptune and Nepgear. They live in this world."

"Your cousins? You mean it isn't just you, Melody, and Rivitie?"

"Thanks to Mom, apparently not."

"Woah…"

_So, it really was just those three before. Now I feel worse for asking about her father when we met._

"And then there's Compa, the pink-haired girl…Uzume, the red-haired girl…and the one who bumped into you is IF."

"Like I said, I'm sorry for bumping into you." IF said. "It's just…things were happening around that time."

"Eh, don't worry about it. I wasn't looking, either. Anyway, nice to meet you all."

"Same here, Jarne." The five girls replied.

"So, uh…what's this about a "world" you mentioned earlier?"

"Well, Jarne…it seems that we're in a different world." I said.

" **THIS** is a different world?!" Jarne asked in shock.

"This is known as Gamindustri." Nepgear explained. "A world with four nations that live peacefully. And right now, we're in one called Planeptune."

"And side note, I'm the ruler here. Known as a Console Patron Unit. Or CPU, for short." Neptune added.

"You don't say? _***sigh***_ Well, at least I know where I am. I've been wandering around here since yesterday."

"Since yesterday?" Amitie asked. "What have you been doing all this time?"

…

…

…

" **Aw, crap! I remember now!** " Jarne shouted after thinking about it for a bit." **I just saw Ridel not too long ago!** "

" **No way! Really?!** " Amitie and I yelled in shock.

"Were Arfoire and Kurome with her?" Nepgear asked.

"Arfoire? Kurome?" Jarne thought for a bit. "If they were an ugly old purple witch lady and the dark-blue girl, then yeah. They were there, too."

"So, the rat was telling the truth, then." IF said. "Where did you last see them, Jarne?"

"Uh, well…I was kinda running away from them because they caught me spying on them. But I had a really good reason to. You see…"

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"No way…fusing the worlds?" Compa asked after Jarne had told us what she overheard.

"It's like a repeat of last time…only on a worse scale than before." Uzume said.

"Resta, can that really happen?" Amitie asked me.

"On their own, no. But with their powers fused with the ones of the Zodiac Stones, they can even take control of time and space itself. And do whatever they please with it.

Even killing us all."

"Get really real…"

" _So, that's it..._ " Neptune started mumbling to herself. " _They want to drag us down to Hell one last time before they wipe out all existence of life once and for all…those goddamn psycho-bitches._ "

"Neptune…"

"I-Is Nep-Nep gonna go insane again?" Compa asked.

"I hope not." IF said.

" _Well…if that's how they want to play…_ then we're not gonna lose. We've beaten them before and we'll do it again. They won't get away with this. Not a chance in hell."

That's when everyone stared at her with looks of shock. Surprised at what just happened.

_She…She didn't go insane? But she was getting close there this time. How did she…wait…could she be adapting to the topaz's power within her shattered soul? The citrine isn't reacting to her power as much as it was before._

_But is it truly possible for someone not related to the Zodiac Stones to do such a thing?_

…

_I'll just have to see where this goes…_

"Nep's right." IF ended the silence. "Standing around here isn't going to fix anything. We know where they are and we know what they're doing. All that's left is to stop them."

"Right. We won't let them get away with this." Compa said.

"It's now or never, baby. Let's go kick some ass!" Uzume yelled out.

"You're welcomed to join us, Jarne." Nepgear said. "We could use the extra fighting power."

"I just want to get back home, honestly. But if fighting against Ridel will do it, then count me in! I'll show her what for! **Ja-ja-ja-jaan!** "

"Alright, then. Let's go, ladies. From this point onward, we've got three worlds to save."

"Oh, wait. Hold on a sec, Iffy." Neptune said.

"Huh? What is it, Nep?"

Neptune didn't say anything and just slowly walked up to IF. Placing her hand on her shoulder and leaning her face close to hers.

" _Iffy~…don't think I've forgotten about you kissing my sister~. You'll have hell to pay later~._ _ ***demented giggle***_ "

" _Tch! N-N-Nep, please…_ "

_Yeah…it's starting to look like she's gaining control over it._

* * *

As everyone began to walk along the path in front of us, I was having a conversation with Jarne. Glad to have reunited with my first friend again.

"You know, it's great to have you around again, Jarne. You give off this special vibe to calm me down with. Whatever that is."

"Same here, Resta! Glad to be back with my best friend!" Jarne then went silent for a bit. "Uh, hey…Resta. There's something I gotta tell you. Something I left out before because…I wanted only you to hear it."

"Really? What's that?"

"Two things, really. One…I saw this girl with Ridel and Kurome. She had blue hair, in a ponytail, and she was dressed as an archer of some kind."

"A-An archer? Th-That's Sagey! She was with them?!"

"Yeah, but…it didn't look like she was there on her one free will. Her eyes looked completely soulless. As if she was being mind-controlled."

"No way…so, they did lose. All four of them." I started getting sad as I learned of my friend's/rival's fates. "So, what's the second thing?"

"The second thing is…there was another girl with them. Only this one had pink hair and was only wearing a black hoodie. Covering most of her face."

"Seriously? We're actually looking for that girl. She's been messing around with Neptune's reputation around here."

"Wow. Well…that girl also had a Zodiac Stone."

"Wh-What? A Zodiac Stone? B-But there's only five. What did this one look like?"

"It was a lilac trigonal stone with a weird black symbol on it. Two curves with a line going across them. It had the same amount of power as yours. So, I knew it was a Zodiac Stone."

"Two curves with a line going through it? That's the symbol for Pisces. But the Pisces went extinct 10 years ago. It's nearly impossible to find any record of them nowadays."

_Unless…_

"Resta! Jarne! Come on, we're gonna leave you two behind!" Amitie yelled out to us.

"Coming!" I took a quick sigh. "Hey, Jarne. Thanks for telling me this privately. I really need to think this over before I tell the others. As this whole thing could be bigger than what we currently think it is."

"Your secret's safe with me, Resta. I won't say a word until you're ready."

"Thanks, Jarne. You really are a good friend." I said with a smile.

We then ran off to catch up with the others. With what I was just told, my mind was in full thought of what could this stuff truly mean for myself and my friends.

_One thing's for sure though…this is not a normal story._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Jarne found and on their team, the group of heroines continue their trek through the resort dungeon to stop the now revealed plan of Kurome, Ridel, and Arfoire.
> 
> But with Resta keeping newly found information to herself, for now, it may not be that simple anymore.
> 
> Wow, it has been a full MONTH since this story was last updated! I deeply apologize for the long wait. I had put all my focus on one single story and that took longer than it should've. Hopefully, this won't happen again. I'm really trying to keep a good schedule with these stories.
> 
> Also, I'm scrapping the idea of this story only being in Resta's POV. Having multiple POV's will give this story more personality. And with a crossover on this kind of scale, that's something you really need. Otherwise, it won't work well.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	11. Puyo Poppin' Resort Battle

**Nepgear's POV**

It's been a few minutes since we learned from Jarne what Arfoire, Kurome, and this Ridel girl plan to do to not only Gamindustri but also Amitie's world and Resta's world. And we made it our mission to stop them before they could advance their plan any further.

The thing is…we're going up against three people. One of which is from a completely different world. I mean, we've had our fair share of fighting people from different worlds. But after what Amitie told us about Ridel, this may not be easy.

_We might need a new strategy for this one…_

" _Ugh. How big is this place, anyway? I'm so sick and tired of seeing this damn ocean and this grey pathway._ "

"Seeing as how you've been here since yesterday, Jarne, I can understand." Uzume said to the whining djinn as we continued walking through Rebeat Resort.

"We should be almost halfway there at this point." IF said. "They don't have much to run to."

" _ **Almost**_ _halfway there?_ _ ***whine***_ _What a bunch of bull…_ "

***CRASH***

"Geez, Jarne. Could you ease it up with the swearing?" Amitie asked her.

"What? That wasn't me! I didn't even get to finish!"

"Jarne's right. That came from up ahead." I said.

"Do you think it's a monster?" Compa asked. "Or could it be Arfoire?"

" _If it's the latter then I'm ready to start shredding some purple skin!_ _ ***demented giggle***_ "

"Nep, please calm down." IF said to Neptune after she said something insanely creepy again.

_I seriously can't get used to Neptune acting like this. We need to restore her soul and fast._

"If it is a monster, I just hope it doesn't turn out to be like those Dogoo things from before." Resta said. "I'm still scarred from witnessing Neptune murdering those creepy things."

"I-I said I was sorry, okay? Even creatures like Dogoos don't deserve to die like that. Even if they are rather icky and gross."

"Well, let's just find out what it is." IF said. "If it made a noise that loud then it has to be something big."

"Right-o! Let's go!"

And so, we followed the noise as it kept getting louder as we went on. Eventually, it even started to sound violent. Almost as if someone was punching and kicking something.

" **Rock Punch!** "

***SLAM***

" **Wind Kick!** "

***BAM***

" _ ***growl***_ "

"What?! You still want more?! Then I'll give you more, you unwanted mutt! **Hey-yah!** "

"Woah! Holy Nep! That Fenrir over there is getting a huge beatdown over there!" Neptune yelled out as we witnessed something we really weren't expecting to see. A girl with blue hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a purple & white shirt/dress combo and what looked to be gold sandals. Beating on a monster that we were quite familiar with.

And the monster was losing. Hard.

"Fenrir? You mean that wild…dog thing over there?" Resta asked.

"It's a really powerful monster that uses its huge claws and sometimes fires a laser to attack." I explained. "Defeating one can be a huge pain sometimes."

"I see…well, that girl seems to be handling it just fine."

"No way…"

"You're kidding…how'd she get here?"

"Wait, you two know that girl?" IF asked Amitie and Jarne.

"Yeah, well…that's…"

" **Iron Fist!** "

***SLAM* *BAM***

" **Exploding Knee!** "

***POW* *POW* *POW* *POW* *POW* *POW* *POW***

" _ ***whine***_ "

"W-Wow…she's really going hard on that thing." IF said.

"I feel sorry for Mister Monster…" Compa added.

"This is more brutal than Neptune murdering blob creatures."

"Can you just let that go already, Resta?" Neptune retorted.

We all watched as this girl continued to beat on the Fenrir like it was nothing. Not missing a single strike.

"Now…out of my sight! **Queenly Dance!** "

***POW***

" _ ***painful whine getting fainter***_ "

" _Damn…_ she just pelted that thing like nobody's business." Uzume said.

"It didn't look difficult for her at all." IF added. "She honestly made it look like a joke."

"I'm…actually jealous." I said. Remembering the last time I fought a Fenrir not ending well.

"Hmph! Know you place, you damn ugly mutt! _Ohhohoho!_ "

"Rulue!" Amitie called out to the blue-haired girl.

"What the…Amitie? Jarne? What are **YOU** two doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing, Rulue." Jarne said. "You murdering ugly mutant dog creatures in a different world isn't exactly normal of you."

…

"Well, actually…you murdering **ANY** type of creature is completely normal."

" **D-Don't label me as a freaking psychopath!** "

"Hey, Amitie. So, you actually do know this girl?" Neptune asked her.

"This is Rulue. She's from my world and is really good at martial arts. To the point where she's known as the Fighting Queen."

"Fighting Queen?" Compa asked.

"My fists rival to no other." The girl named Rulue said. "I deliver devastating blows to all who challenge me."

"Her cold gaze and voice make those who hear it tremble in fear. Her overbearing laughter echoes across the field."

"Yes… **w-wait, who are you calling overbearing?!** " Rulue then yelled at Jarne.

"What? I'm just reading how you were described in this game manual I found. It's honestly no different from how you are now."

"Game manual?"

"How are you already used to this "4th wall-breaking" thing?" Resta asked.

"It doesn't really bother me all that much. Since I'm already used to living so carefree."

"Huh…"

"Anyway, Rulue…" Amitie continued. "These are my two cousins. Neptune and Nepgear. And their friends IF, Compa, and Uzume."

"W-Wait, your **cousins**?" Rulue went silent for a bit. "Now that I think about it, I do remember Melody saying something about having nieces in a different world. But I thought she was spouting nonsense again so I tuned her out. Who would've thought she would be right…"

"After all the stuff Mom has gotten us into, this wasn't much of a surprise." Amitie said with an exasperated look.

_Just what exactly has Melody been doing before we met her?_

"So, where exactly is this place? And why am I here? Furthermore, why are you two here?"

"Well, you see, Rulue…"

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"…And that's pretty much the gist of it."

" _ ***sigh***_ Another world, huh? At least that part sounds normal…"

"Uh…why exactly is that part normal?" I asked. But was ignored.

"…But seriously. Ridel's at it **AGAIN**?! Doesn't that girl **EVER** learn?!"

"Apparently not."

"And so, we were actually on our way to stop her, a girl named Kurome, and a woman named Arfoire from fusing the worlds together as a way to destroy them." IF said. "But then we ran into you fighting that monster."

"I see…" Rulue then went silent for a bit. Gaining an angrily puzzled look on her face in the process. " _That last name…why does it sound familiar…?_ "

"Miss Rulue? Are you okay?" Compa asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. But…do you mind if I tag along for a bit?"

"Huh? You actually want to help?" Amitie asked.

"I have my reasons. Mainly to get back home. But for some reason…I feel like me being here was completely intentional. Almost as if someone purposely brought me here. _And I kinda have a feeling as to who it is…_ "

"Someone brought you here? But who would want you here in a completely different world?"

"Why don't you turn around and find out."

"Th-That voice…" I said after we heard someone talking to us.

"So…you all found your way here. I'm not surprised in the slightest."

" **Arfoire!** "

"Geez… **THAT'S** Arfoire?" Amitie asked. "You two weren't kidding when you described her as an old lady in _**very**_ questionable clothing."

"I told you. Just as I detailed her." Resta said.

" _Ugh._ Just seeing it again is burning my eyes." Jarne said. "What mid-life crisis is she going through to dress like _**that**_ in public?"

"A mind-shattering one, from the looks of it."

" _Grr…_ **YOU THREE SHUT UP!** " Arfoire yelled at the trio. " **I WILL NOT BE TREATED THIS WAY BY A BUNCH OF MERE CHILDREN!** "

"Then freaking dress your age." The trio replied.

"Tch! Damn brats…"

"Guys…you're not making this any easier." I said to them with a sweatdrop.

"So, you're the one who decided to show up, huh? Where's the other me?" Uzume asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, child." Arfoire said. "And besides…you brats aren't the reason for my sudden appearance. For I'm here for…someone else."

"Someone else?" Most of us asked. The only one who didn't was…

"Hmph. So, it is you. My gut feeling was right, then."

"Hahahahaha! Long time no see, Rulue. Did you enjoy your trip?"

" **Wh-What?!** " The rest of us shouted in shock.

" **M-Miss Rulue! You and Arfoire KNOW each other?!** " I asked.

" **Holy Nep! A plot-twist out of nowhere!** " Neptune yelled.

"Yeah, we do. We go way back. But that part isn't important right now." Miss Rulue then turned back to Arfoire. "So, why'd you bring me here, Arfoire? Another one of your hexing spells?"

_Hexing Spells?_

"I'm surprised you remember such a thing. But unfortunately for you, that isn't the case. This time, Rulue, I will get my revenge on you. And on the others who made me what I am now. _This time won't be like the last._ "

_Revenge? On Miss Rulue? And others who made her what she is now? Does Arfoire seriously have a backstory nobody even knows about? If so, how does it relate to the Zodiac Stones and the fusing of the worlds?_

…

_Could this be bigger than any of us originally thought?_

"So, you want to fight, huh?" Miss Rulue said as she flipped open a red fan. Making a simple ***fwip*** sound. "Well, then…I'll be glad to be your opponent. I'll give you an extensive reminder of why they call me the Fighting Queen! _Ohhohohoho!_ "

"Is Rulue seriously going to fight her all on her own?" IF asked Amitie and Jarne.

"She's a good fighter. Probably the best in our world." Amitie said. "But since this is a different world, I kinda have my doubts."

"Rulue's high amount of confidence really got her into an interesting situation here." Jarne said.

"Hmph. Cocky as always, I see. Well, then I won't hold back either. Let's…"

" **PUYO BATTLE!** "

" **P-Puyo battle?!** " Amitie and Jarne yelled out in shock after Miss Rulue and Arfoire shouted the same phrase.

"Puyo battle?" And as the others were confused as to what was going on, I stood there in complete and utter excitement.

_No…way! I'm actually going to see a Puyo battle live and in action! I gotta take notes!_

* * *

**Amitie's POV**

As the two began playing the infamous game that sometimes gets us into trouble, my mind was currently rapid-firing a bunch of questions at once.

_Wh-What the hell?! What is happening right now?! Why are there puyos falling into this world?! Why is there a Puyo battle happening in this world right now?! How does that Arfoire lady know how to play?! How do she and Rulue even_ _**KNOW** _ _each other?!_ _**I'M SO FREAKING CONFUSED RIGHT NOW!** _

"Uh…hey, Amitie. How exactly is a Puyo battle happening right now?" Jarne asked me.

"I-I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are. I didn't think Puyo battles would work in this dimension."

" **Rock Punch!** "

" **Dark Magic!** "

" **Wind Kick!** "

" **Double Strike!** "

We continued watching the two with their sudden Puyo match. Both were easily making chains and conducting attacks like it was nothing to either of them.

"I see…well, I gotta admit. The old hag's pretty good at it." Jarne said.

"Yeah, no kidding…" I gained a sweatdrop.

"Uh…hey, Amitie." Resta said to me. "What exactly is going on right now? I'm so confused."

"Well, you see this is…"

" **It's Puyo Puyo!** "

"What?" We then looked at Nepgear, who oddly had a notebook filled with notes in her possession.

"The game in which you connect four of the same color to clear them…and go for the biggest chain. The game in which popping rainbow jellies can give you magical powers…and use it to attack your opponent. Sending Garbage Puyo onto their board. Filling it up to the point where they crumble over in defeat! **And I'm seeing it all first-hand and in-person! I'm finally witnessing the game of my dreams!** _ ***giggle***_ "

"Uh…Ge-Ge. You're starting to look really scary." Compa said with a sweatdrop.

"Puyo Puyo, huh?" Resta asked as she went back to looking at the match. Both were still going at it.

"Hey-yah!"

"Take that!"

" **Rock Punch!** "

" **Wind Kick!** "

" **Iron Fist!** "

" **Exploding Knee!** "

" **Queenly Dance!** "

***BOOM***

" **Damnit!** "

The only difference now is that Rulue was winning.

"Come to think of it, those things do look familiar?"

"You've seen one before, Resta?" I asked.

"I ran into one when I first arrived in Primp. It kept saying "Puyopuyo~" before running away from me. And that's how I found the place."

"I see."

"So, out of curiosity, Resta, what color was it? The Puyo, I mean?" Nepgear asked.

"Color? Uh…I think it was green. Its eyes were so neutral that it looked like it had no emotion at all."

"Oh. So, it was a green one." Nepgear looked defeated. "I was hoping for it to be a purple one. The way how it's always annoyed _**really**_ intrigues me."

"Nepgear, you're taking this game just the tiniest bit too seriously…" I gained a sweatdrop.

***BOOM***

" _N-No…I-I've been…_ _ **defeated?!**_ "

"Holy Nep! Rulue totally **NAILED** on Arbore!" Neptune yelled as she, IF, and Uzume were the only ones fully paying attention to the match. Completely amazed that Rulue won against this Arfoire woman in a game they've never heard about.

"Those moves were so precise…amazingly graceful and didn't miss a single shot." IF said.

"Who would've thought that a bunch of rainbow blobs would take down that purple pop-up hag as well as a regular fight…I'm truly blown away." Uzume added.

" _Ohhohohoho!_ Did you enjoy my technique, Arfoire? Brought back memories, didn't it?" Rulue gloated as she looked down at the defeated Arfoire.

" _Tch! Damnit…I freaking lost. That's what I get for not playing that game in years…_ "

…

"…But in the end, it didn't matter if I won or not. I got what I wanted."

"Got what you wanted?" IF asked.

"What are you talking about, you nut?" Rulue asked. Looking unamused as usual.

"Take a look." Arfoire said as she took out a lilac trigonal stone with a black symbol on it resembling two curves with a line going across them. "While we were battling, Rulue, this gem here was analyzing your fighting style. Making an exact copy for me to use. Hahahahahaha!"

"Copy **MY** fighting style?! Oh, hell no! That's something I won't let you get away with, you petty little…"

"So, are you finished now?"

Suddenly, walking up to Arfoire, was a girl with pink hair being covered up by a black hoodie. Her mouth and two bangs were the only things visible.

…

_W-Wait a minute…_

"Yes. I got what I wanted. Thank you so much for letting me borrow that stone of yours."

"If it is to exact revenge on those who ruin you, then I cannot resist lending a hand." The girl said. And in such an emotionless tone, too.

"H-Hey, guys…isn't that her?" I asked. "The girl we've been looking for whose been filming Neptune going crazy?"

"Holy Nep! **It is her!** " Neptune yelled out. And it was easy to tell that she was getting angry again. " _Finally…I'm been looking all over this damn nation for the likes of you!_ _ **I'm gonna rip that goddamn hoodie off of you…AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR ****ING THROAT! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_ "

" **N-Neptune!** "

" **O-Oh, no! Not again!** " Nepgear and Compa yelled out in total fear.

" _ **I'LL ****ING KILL YOU BOTH FOR SCREWING WITH ME! BURN IN ****ING HELL!**_ " Neptune then started rushing over to the duo with full force and maxed-out rage. Her mind completely filled with insanity as her lust for revenge and murder destroyed her sense of reasoning.

" **Ascella!** "

"But then…"

"Alrescha."

***SWIPE***

***BOOM***

" _ ***bl-bleck***_ _G-Gah…_ "

" **Neptune!** " We shouted in horror as we saw Neptune being pierced through her stomach and slammed to the ground hard by a giant demonic-looking pink hand that formed from the gem. Blood pouring out of her body as she even started puking some of it.

"Do not waste your breath, child." The girl said as she was holding the gem in her hand while glowing a pink aura. "Your meaningless pathetic life will not last that long for you to rebel. Especially with your weak control over the Sagittarius Topaz's power."

_Sagittarius Topaz…that's one of the Zodiac Stones Resta mentioned! How does this girl know what it is?!_

"Hey, Gearsy! Let's hurry and get Nepsy!"

"Right, Uzume!"

Then out from the corner of my eye, I saw both Nepgear and Uzume glow and get absorbed into a bright white light. And after a few seconds…

" **Transformation Complete! Purple Sister has arrived!** "

" **Orange Heart! Spiral Dream~!** "

…Let's just say they weren't recognizable anymore.

"What…the…hell…" Jarne, Rulue, and Resta all said in disbelief. And I honestly don't blame them.

Nepgear's hair became longer and pink with a white & blue hair clip to replace the D-pad hair clip she had before. Her eyes changed from purple to blue and her clothes changed to a white skintight bodysuit with light purple designs and light purple N's on the backhand part of her gloves. Along with matching thigh-high boots.

Uzume, on the other hand, went through the most change. Her hair grew in length and turned from red low pigtails to light orange regular pigtails on top of her head held by large loops of hair. Her eyes changed from orange to blue. And she's now wearing a white one-piece with orange bottoms and silver and black accents with a section of blue fabric in the middle of it. Alongside white opera gloves with squared bracelets and armor, puffy boots with an orange platform sole, and a brimmed hat with pieces reminiscent of animal ears.

Also, her personality changed. By a lot.

_So, this is what they meant by "CPUs", huh? It's…honestly pretty wicked._

"Okay, Gearsy~!" Uzume(?) said. "I'll take on these two baddies while you try to get Nepsy back~!"

"Okay! Let's go! **Mirage Dance!** "

" **Dream Roar~!** "

Both then started charging towards the due in front of us ready to strike and save Neptune.

"Fumalsamakah."

***BOOM***

"G-Gah…"

" _G-Gah~…_ "

But the girl deflected both attacks with another one of her own from the gem. With the same pink demonic-like hand appearing from it.

"Delta Piscium."

***SWIPE***

***PIERCE***

"Epsilon Piscium."

***SWIPE***

***PIERCE***

"Van Maanen's Star."

***BOOM***

" ***tearful screams of pain*** "

The whole area was filled with smoke for a good while. But when it cleared up, we saw both girls lying on the ground. Back to their normal-looking selves and looking just as injured as Neptune right now. Their blood pouring from their cut bodies.

" **Ge-Ge! Uzume!** " Compa yelled in a panic.

"Why must you fight?" The girl said. "You're all going to die and be erased from existence. Do you really wish for your last moments alive to be filled with everlasting pain and suffering?"

"Damn… **what the hell's wrong with you, you psycho chick?!** " IF yelled.

"Psycho chick? Wanting revenge makes you psycho? _Wanting to avenge your fallen people…who have succumbed to their unavoidable demise filled with torment and despair…losing all they had worked for as they lie in a pool of their own blood, sweat, and tears…_ _ **THAT**_ _makes me a psycho?_ "

The hand appeared once again and grabbed IF. Sending her up into the air before slamming her back onto the ground. Her quiet moans signaling that she was in pain.

" _If doing all of that makes me a psycho…if your only wish being to right the wrong that's been done to you and your livelihood…to get even with the people who have destroyed and ended your life…if doing all of that makes me a psychotic little bitch…_ "

The girl, still in a mellow fit of rage, then removed the hood from her head. Revealing her full set of light-pink hair with the two bangs in the front and a long ponytail in the back. And there were three red dots on her forehead. Looking like a triangle if you traced them together.

"…then I shall become that psychotic little bitch! **AND MURDER EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!** "

" **IFFY!** " Compa screamed as she tried to rush out to save her friend. But Rulue grabbed her at the last second and held her tight.

" **Don't, you fool! You'll be next!** "

" **B-But Iffy…a-and everyone else…** "

" **Hahahahahaha! Don't you get it, you airheaded brat?! This is your demise!** " Arfoire said. " **You and those infuriating CPUs will all succumb** **to the destruction of this pitiful world! And vengeance will be ours for all eternity! Hahahahahaha!** "

" **IFFY! GE-GE! UZUME!** "

While Compa was crying her eyes out in fear and sadness for her bleeding friends, I stood there in horror as I watched first-hand of how this simple yet confusing sudden Puyo Battle turned into a situation in which my cousins and their friends were bleeding profusely and basically dying.

I was so freaking scared…traumatized, even. To the point where my whole body was shaking and I was trying _**really**_ hard not to wet myself. The sheer bloodbath this one girl made on so many people was something I've never seen before. Her lust for revenge and murder is on a whole different scale. Possibly bigger than Ridel's.

_But just who the hell is this girl?! Who is she trying to get revenge on?! And without a doubt in my mind…_ _**how the hell does she have a Zodiac Stone?!** _

" _ ***demented giggle* I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL, YOU LOLITA PIECE OF…**_ "

" **Dschubba!** "

***BOOM***

" ***cough* *cough*** N-Now what?" The girl said as her finishing attack that most likely would've killed IF was stopped at the last second.

"I…I finally get it. I finally remember who you are."

" _Resta?_ " I asked silently as those of us still standing turned to look at her.

"At first, I couldn't remember. Basing on the poor description that talking rat gave us."

Resta then started walking forward towards the girl in question.

But then Jarne told me about you having a lilac trigonal stone with a black symbol on it resembling two curves with a line going across them. Then you started rambling about how you seek revenge. For the people who had fallen and for your early demise. By then, the memory of you was slowly coming back to me.

But what _**really**_ made it click for me…were those attack spells.

Alrescha…

Fumalsamakah…

Delta Piscium…

Epsilon Piscium…

Van Maanen's Star…

There's only **ONE** person I know who uses those spells…Revati. The Pisces Princess."

"Th-The… **Pisces Princess?!** " Jarne, Compa, and I yelled in complete shock.

"Hmph…Resta. The Scorpio Princess. How nice of you to show up…to your **FINAL GRAVE!** " Was all the girl named Revati replied with as she started glowing a dark pink aura filled with insanity.

_Get really real…things just got a whole lot more complicated._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What started out as the sudden appearance of Rulue ended up revealing the true identity of the hooded girl. The Pisces Princess, Revati.
> 
> I'm SO DEEPLY SORRY for this story not being updated in over a month at this point. With this being only one of 7 active stories and work taking up most of my time (well, not exactly most. The recovery process from working takes a while), I've been lagging behind in updating. And it'll probably be like this from now on. Depending on my work schedule.
> 
> But on the bright side, I managed to get this out before Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 comes out tomorrow. I can't wait to dig myself into that game. So worth the wait.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	12. The Crumbling Worlds

**Feli's POV**

***MEANWHILE…***

"Thank you again, Mr. Kawasaki."

"No problem, girls. See you around." The bus that brought us here then pulled off from the bus stop and into the tunnel. It being long gone in just mere seconds.

As to why I was on a bus in the first place… _well…_ you remember how Amitie, Lidelle, Jarne, Resta, and I were sucked inside a dark portal by Ridel and this dark-blue girl as a way to kill us all?

Well…not only did I **NOT** die, but I ended up in Toyama for some reason. I was so confused…I had no idea what was going on or what just happened to me. But even then, I was able to find Mao and tell her what was going on. Then stayed over at Futaba's because my head was too much in pain for me to do anything else.

So, then the next day (being today), we all took the bus back to Primp. And by "we", I mean myself, Futaba, and Rin. They tagged along because Mao couldn't due to being caught up in last-minute filming for that weird TV show she's in. Plus, they were both curious and worried about the others here once I told them what happened.

It's better than no one, I suppose.

" _Ugh…I'm finally home. I just want to lie down and sleep._ "

"Don't you think we should find Amitie and Lidelle, first?" Futaba asked me.

"How are we supposed to do that when they were sucked into a portal? They weren't in Toyama. And if they made it back here, they would've called me already."

"That's true, but…"

"Aw, come on, Futaba. I'm sure they're fine." Rin said. "After all, they are the Light Soul and Demonic Princess."

"I still find that hard to believe…" Futaba gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, you saw them both when we drove Ridel out of Toyama before. They're as real as the whole Solar Eclipse concept."

"That's because solar eclipses make sense in both worlds. When Amitie explained how she got her Light Soul powers, I was confused as hell. What was the point of that stupid legend, anyway?"

"I dunno. Ask her mom. She's the one who created it."

" _Iesu Kirisuto…_ " Futaba swore in Japanese.

"Well, either way, I'm just excited to see my other self again." Rin said. "I can't wait to create so many new chemicals together…we'll make the whole world _Bakuhatsu suru!_ "

"R-Rin, no."

"What did she say?" I asked.

"I-It's best if you didn't know…" Futaba gained a sweatdrop.

_That only makes me want to know more!_

* * *

As the three of us walked towards town, we noticed something a bit…odd. For one, the sky was starting to become darker. Mainly a deep blue void of space with silhouettes of what looked like landmasses just floating there motionless. Almost like they had no life to them.

And second…the plaza, the busiest area in Primp, was deserted. Not a single person was outside and it made the whole atmosphere even creepier. I mean…it was so dark that even the streetlights were on. But that didn't help tone down the creepiness.

"Woah…wh-what the hell happened here?" Futaba asked.

"Was Primp always this…unnerving?" Rin asked.

"I don't know…" I said as I looked up at the sky. "…it's only been a day. What could've happened in such a short amount of time for the sky to look like **THAT**?"

It was then that we heard _**really**_ loud footsteps heading our way. They were so huge that they shook the very ground we were standing on. Making us lose our balance a couple of times.

And right when we were about to ask what was making those footsteps…we saw it.

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

And we were terrified as all hell.

" **Wh-What the hell?! A-A giant dragon?!** " I screamed.

" **F-Feli! Wh-What the hell is this thing doing here?!** " Futaba asked.

" **A-As if I would freaking know!** "

" **Run for it!** " Rin screamed as she started running in the opposite direction. And we soon followed her.

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

" **Bowooze!** "

" **Neigh!** "

And then suddenly, more weird creatures appeared in front of us. Dog-looking blobs of slime, pissed-off tulips, and horses with wings for their front legs. None of these were creatures native to Primp. And it only made my terrified mind all the more confused.

" **W-We're surrounded!** " Rin yelled.

" **Crap! What do we do now?!** " Futaba asked.

" **I-I don't know!** " Was all I could say at this moment. My still-in-pain head was filled with so much fear and confusion that wasn't thinking straight. Normally, I would be fighting back with my occult spells to at least buy us some time before our sudden demise.

But as of right now…

_Damn…what the hell? Is this truly how I'm going to die? By a bunch of weird creatures and a giant dragon? Aren't miracles supposed to happen by now? Where's one when I need it the most?!_

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

" ***screams of absolute terror x3*** "

" **Lacy Dance!** "

***SLASH***

" _Bowooooooze…!_ "

" _Neiiiiiigh…!_ "

Suddenly, all the small creatures blocking our path just dropped dead to the ground. Soon disappearing in a digital-like fog as if they were wiped from existence.

…

…

…

"H-Huh?" We were all confused.

"Hey, there. Are you three alright?"

Walking through the digital fog and heading towards us was a girl with long pure white hair and wearing a black & white skintight jumpsuit that _**really**_ revealed a portion of her chest. Along with black & white gloves, stockings, and boots.

And the sword she had…it was freaking huge. Bigger than any sword I've ever seen. Especially from the likes of Schezo, Lagnus, Alex…

…

…Come to think of it, those are the only three people who have swords. But my point still stands.

"Y-Yeah…w-we're okay." I spoke for all of us.

"Well, that's good." The girl said. "Now…please stand aside as I take care of this monstrous nuisance."

"Uh, s-sure. Do whatever you want." The three of us then backed away from the area as we prepared to watch this girl (who came out of nowhere) fight this giant dragon (who also came out of nowhere).

"I may not know how I got here nor do I know the same for you monsters. But no matter the setting, you will be taken down! Prepare yourself!"

 _Such confidence…and also arrogance. Who_ _**IS** _ _this girl?_

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ " The dragon did one huge swipe at the girl as a way to attack. And the girl dodged it with such swiftness. Flying over the dragon and ending up behind it.

" **Drop Crush!** "

***SLASH***

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

"Woah…that girl's really strong." Futaba said.

'Yeah, no kidding." Rin added. "Do you know that girl, Feli?"

"No. I've never seen her before. Must be new or something."

"Huh."

We continued watching the girl take down the dragon as if it was a worthless mouse. Each strike she made weaken it more and more. To the point where it was on its knee during its final moments.

"Now…the final blow! **Infinite Slash!** "

***SLASHING SOUND x12***

" _ **RAAAWWWGgghhh…**_ " The dragon soon fell completely on the ground. Disappearing in that same digital fog like the other creatures before as it laid dead in defeat.

" _Woah…_ " Was all we said.

"Hmph. That should take care of it." The girl said. Then, she started glowing a bright light. And then seconds later…out from it came a completely different person. A girl with black hair tied into two long pigtails by blue ribbons. Her outfit changed to a maid-like black top with golden trimmings and white frills around her upper arm and chest.

And it **STILL** revealed a good portion of her chest. Yes, it does bother me that they're bigger than mine. Why does she have to freaking show it off?

A-Anyway…she also wore black mid-thigh-high heeled boots and a white frilled short-as-hell skirt with black trimmings. And if you were careless about looking at it, you could easily mistake the outfit to be one full dress instead of a shirt/skirt combo.

_(Quick Note: Like I did when writing this chapter…)_

"Still, though…are you three really alright? No injuries or anything?" The girl asked us.

"We're fine, really." Futaba said. "Thanks for helping us out."

"Yeah, seriously." I said. "I didn't expect to return home to be ambushed by a giant dragon and a bunch of weird-looking monsters."

"Oh? So, you three are residents here?"

"Well, just me. These two are friends from a different world who came to help me out."

"A different world, huh?" The girl made a small sigh. "I had a feeling that's where we ended up."

"Huh? Wait, you're from a different world?" Rin asked.

"And what did you mean by "we"?" I asked.

"Well…"

"No way…that monster is gone?" We suddenly heard a new voice coming from one of the buildings here. And walking out from it came two girls that I knew well.

"Arle? Ringo?"

" **F-Feli?! Holy crap, you're alive!** "

" **Gugu Gu!** " Carbuncle cheered alongside Arle.

"And Futaba and Rin are here, too." Ringo added.

"Hey, guys. Long time no see." Futaba said.

"That portal somehow sent me to Toyama and I just got back." I added.

"I see. Well…glad to have you back and okay, Feli."

"Thanks, Ringo." I said with a smile. "So…what happened here? Why does Primp look like… **THIS**?"

"Well…it happened shortly after you and the others got sucked into that dark portal by Ridel and that girl." Arle explained. "Ridel used that stone thing up in the sky and it soon turned into this deep blue spacey void with those silhouettes everywhere."

"And then not long after that, those weird monsters started showing up." Ringo added. "We each tried to fight them off, but…even with extra power from the puyos, we couldn't beat them all. And so, everyone had resorted to hiding."

"Which is why we were shocked to find them all gone all of a sudden. Did you three seriously take them all on?"

" **No, are you crazy?!** " I responded. "We were just as scared as you were!"

"We were completely screwed before this girl came and saved us." Futaba said.

"Man, you guys should've seen it!" Rin yelled. "She was like slashing and bashing and flying all over the place! It was like if Erica-chan or Monica-chan started using swords and went total badass! So freaking cool!"

"B-Badass, huh?" The girl asked. "Th-That's the first time someone's ever described me as such. Feels like an honor."

"No problem! You deserve such a title for what you did, uh…wait. Wh-Who are you?"

_Right…we didn't ask for her name yet…_

"Oh, right. We haven't done introductions." The girl then cleared her throat. "Well…my name is Noire. And based on the information I've gathered, I'm from a different world."

"A girl from a different world…that's…somehow normal here." Ringo said.

"How exactly is that normal?"

"We don't really know." Ringo then gained a sweatdrop.

"Anyway…" I said. "…my name's Feli Kuromi. I originally live in this world."

"Name's Arle Nadja. Originally not from this world but I've gotten used to it. And this is my buddy Carbuncle."

"Guu." Carbuncle said.

"I'm Ringo Ando. I'm also not originally from this world but I've got acquainted with it over time."

"I'm Futaba Okazaki."

"And I'm Rin Sugihara." Rin added.

"We're Feli's friends from a world called Toyama, Japan."

"I see…" Noire said. "…So, this world seems to be a gateway for other worlds to just end up here, huh?"

"Yeah. You could say that." Arle, Ringo, and I said with a sweatdrop.

"So…how did you get here, Noire? You said you came from a different world, right?" Futaba asked.

"That's what I'm getting at. From what I can remember, at least."

"Remember?" We all asked.

"Back in my world, it was a normal day as usual. Then this same deep blue space void showed up and engulfed the entire sky. Spawning more monsters and causing them to wreak havoc all across my land of Lastation. And all across the rest of the world, too.

Myself and my sister Uni tried to stop them. But we were no match for the huge number of them. And that's when things got worse."

"Got worse?"

"The ground started to crack into pieces. And some were even crumbling to rubble. While others just raised from the ground and disintegrated into those silhouettes in the sky. Which now I believe are the same ones in the sky right now."

"No way…"

"You're kidding…" Arle and Rin said as we all looked up in the sky to confirm what Noire was telling us.

"It was so sudden…we didn't know what to do. Our entire nation was crumbling apart and our citizens…the people we were supposed to protect…were getting seriously injured and even dying left & right in front of our eyes. It was… _ ***sniff***_ _it was such a nightmare-ish sight._ "

_She's starting to cry…it must've been hell for her…_

" _That's when we made_ _ ***sniff***_ _…the heartbreaking decision to flee. We were too weak to continue fighting due to the injuries we got from earlier. And most, if not all the people, were dying or already dead. There was nothing we could do at that point…but to_ _ ***sniff***_ _save ourselves._ "

"Damn…that's gotta suck." Futaba said.

" _Yeah…it does_ _ ***sniff***_ _. We had managed to leave the main city…and made it to the nearby ravine even with the injuries we've sustained. But the ground there started to tear apart, too. We could barely move at that point and was certain to meet our demise…but then…a star-shaped portal appeared and engulfed us inside. And based on that, we ended up here._ " Noire then went silent for a bit. " _Well…at least I_ _ **hoped**_ _we both ended up here._ "

"You hope?" Ringo asked.

" _ ***sniff***_ _To be honest, I haven't been able to find Uni anywhere. I've been walking around this place for a while…then I saw Feli, Futaba, and Rin being ambushed by those monsters. And so, I used the last bit of my strength to rescue you girls._ "

"You're strength? You mean that other form you took?" I asked.

"Other form?" Arle and Ringo asked.

"Guu gu gu?"

"Noire took on this other form where her hair was white and had a huge sword. It's what we first saw her as when she fought those monsters."

" _Yeah…that's it._ " Noire said. " _Though, just so you know…this is what I normally look like. A mid-to-late teen girl._ "

"I see…"

_Wait, mid-to-late teen? Does she not have an age?_

" _So, yeah…that's how I got here. I-I think. My head hurts so bad that my memory of it is fading at some parts. I…f-feel like I'm…g-going to pass out…_ " Noire then started swaying back and forth as she tried to stay up. Nearly collapsing before Futaba and Rin caught her at the last second.

" _Ow…_ "

"Geez, girl. You really did take a beating." Futaba said.

"You got all these scratches and bruises… **and you're freaking bleeding, too!** " Rin yelled.

" **Noire! Why didn't you say anything?!** " I asked.

" _I…I-I'm known to be…a-a little stubborn…_ " Noire could barely talk as her injuries were starting to take effect on her. She was really going to pass out at any moment now.

"Aw, geez. Is there any place we can go?"

"Everyone's too busy hiding from the monsters. It'll be impossible to get someone to help us." Arle said.

" _Ugh._ Damnit, we're screwed."

"I wouldn't say that yet." A new voice spoke out. We then turned around to see…

" **Lemres!** "

"Hello there, ladies. Glad to see you're all safe." Lemres said with a tip of his hat.

"What are you doing out here? Aren't you concerned about the monsters?" I asked.

"I am. Which is why I'm out here looking for anyone needing rescuing. And it looks like I arrived just in time."

"Really?" Arle asked. "So, you can help Noire?"

"Guu gu?"

"Noire?"

" _H-Hey…I-I still…n-need to find…U…Uni…_ " Noire barely spoke as she was losing more and more energy.

"Don't you think you should save yourself first before looking for other people?" Futaba asked.

" _Th-That doesn't…matter now. I-I need…t-to find my…s…sister…_ _ ***cough* *cough* *cough***_ "

" _Ew…don't cough up blood on my lab coat!_ " Rin whined. " _I just got this cleaned._ "

 _So, she really_ _**DOES** _ _clean that thing?!_

"I see…so, you're Noire."

"Huh? Lemres, you know who she is?" I asked him.

"No, not really. But we have a girl back at the library who was looking for a girl named Noire. She said her name was…Uni, I believe."

" _U-Uni?! Y-You found Uni?! H-How is she?! I-Is she…o-okay…?_ " Noire asked with half the amount of excitement she wanted to show.

"She's doing fine. Her injuries have been treated and she's now resting up safe and sound."

" _Haaah~…th-thank…g-god…_ " It was then that Noire had finally passed out. The last bit of her energy completely used up from worrying about her sister.

_So, she was holding out for her sister, huh? I gotta admit…she reminds me a lot of Mao…_

"Now, then…I suggest we make our way there, as well. This is just a hunch, but I feel like those monsters will come back any minute now. And they're crazy powerful, too."

"Right. Let's go, everyone. The library isn't that far from here." Ringo said.

"Thanks for helping us out, Lemres." I said. "You really saved us big time."

"No problem, Feli. I'm just glad you've returned safe and sound."

_That's right…it is just me. Amitie, Lidelle, Jarne, and Resta still haven't been found. And if they weren't in Toyama…just where could they be?_

"Feli?"

"Uh…r-right. I'm glad to be back. Thanks for worrying about me." I said.

We then rushed over to the museum/library to get Noire the medical attention she desperately needs. Before anything worse happens to her.

_Cause honestly…she's dealt with quite enough._

* * *

**Resta's POV**

" **Antares!** "

***BOOM***

"Alrescha."

***BOOM***

" **Graffias!** "

***BOOM***

"Fumalsamakah."

 ***BOOM*** ***BOOM*** ***BOOM***

" _ ***pant* *pant***_ _D-Damn…she's stronger than I remembered her being…_ "

I was currently in the biggest battle of my life. Fighting against the Pisces Princess Revati, who I thought had perished alongside her people and kingdom nearly 10 years ago.

 _I don't understand…this_ _**IS** _ _Revati, right? If the Pisces were wiped out 10 years ago, then how is their princess alive right now? Teaming up with that purple witch hag and attacking us to the point of calling it murder…something is definitely not right._

"Tch. You're still willing to fight, Resta? You damn Scorpios truly are stubborn." Revati said to me as we had stopped attacking each other to regain our strength.

"Revati…how are you here? All Pisces were wiped out 10 years ago. You should be dead."

"That may be true…but thanks to that blue girl, I was revived with the sole purpose of fulfilling my revenge. You and the other princesses will **PAY** for killing my people. I'll make you all suffer endless torment…as I kill you **ALL!** "

_So, she was revived, huh? That explains why she's a lot more powerful than before. Her lust for vengeance has turned into full-blown murder._

"Now…prepare yourself, Resta. For I will send you…and this entire universe…to the never-ending depths of…"

"Revati."

"What?! Why do you interrupt me?!" Revati yelled at Arfoire.

"Leave them be. They've suffered enough for now."

" _ **Leave**_ them?! And just why the hell would I do that?!"

"Look up and you'll see."

"Huh?"

"Look up?" I said as we all looked up at the sky.

And what we saw was anything but good.

"Wh-What the hell…?" Rulue said.

" **Th-The sky!** " Compa yelled in total fear.

What we saw was that the sky had changed completely. Now a deep blue spacey void with silhouettes of what looked like landmasses floating across it. It was like the end of the world was flying across our heads. The true stuff of nightmares.

"No way…what happened to the sky?!" Amitie asked.

"Huh…so, they've already started the process." Revati said. "A bit sooner than I wanted it to…but I guess that doesn't matter."

"Process?"

" **Aw, crap!** " Jarne yelled. " **Guys, this is what I was talking about! Ridel and that girl…they're destroying the worlds by fusing them together! Those landmasses are probably pieces of each world!** "

"N-No way…"

"G-Get really real…" Both Compa and Amitie said with so much fear and shock.

"Right you are, you annoying little brat!" Arfoire gloated. "This world is currently merging and disintegrating with one of the other worlds. Causing an upset with this one's dimensional barrier and shattering everything here. Cities, forests, dungeons…all will crumble and fall into nothingness. And the people caught in the middle…well, let's just say they'll have an _**exciting**_ final moment. Before they all succumb to the biggest nightmare of their lives! **Hahahahahaha!** "

"So, you're just gonna execute this plan of yours and not care who dies in the process?!" Rulue asked. "Since when were you a psychopathic murderer?!"

"As if you have any right to question me! You know damn well that if it wasn't for that nuisance French girl, I wouldn't be like this! Now, I'm going to kill everyone in this god-forsaken universe! **And you can tell Melody that I'll see her in Hell!** "

" _Tch! You damn little…_ "

" **Wh-What?! W-Wait, how do you know my mom?!** " Amitie yelled in shock.

"Oh? So **YOU'RE** Amitie? You really do look like your mother." Arfoire replied with a sadistic grin on her face.

Then, with one swing of her staff, she spawned these glowing pink chains and sent them at Amitie. Her arms, legs, stomach, and neck were all tangled by the chains. Crushing her petite body and blocking her only way to breathe.

" **Amitie!** " The four of us shouted.

"Hahahahahaha! This is **PERFECT**! I can kill you here and now…and **FULLY** get my revenge on Melody! Let's see her mentally suffer after I murder her only child! **Hahahahahaha!** "

" **Magic Hand!** "

" **Rock Punch!** "

"Alrescha."

***SWIPE***

" _ **Gah…**_ "

"Do not interrupt. For your murders will happen soon." Revati said to Jarne and Rulue as they tried to stop Arfoire but were countered.

And now…it was only me and Compa still standing. And with the latter filled to the brim with fear and sadness for the near-fatal injuries her friends currently have, I'm basically all alone. With an old witch hag and the revived evil princess both desiring vengeance and murder.

 _Th-This is bad! Wh-What do I do?! Wh-What_ _**CAN** _ _I do?! Everyone is dying from injuries and I'm too weak to fight off both Revati and Arfoire on my own! Is this truly how it all ends? Am I going to die in a different world as it disintegrates to nothing? Where the hell do we go from here?! What do I do?!_

" _R-Resta…_ " I suddenly heard someone calling out to me as I was having my mental breakdown. And I looked down to see…

"N…N-Neptune?"

_H-How…How is she still alive?! After taking such a puncture to the stomach?!_

" _R-Resta…g-give me…y-your power…_ "

"My power? Y-You mean you want the Citrine's power?!"

" _S-Since I have…th-the Topaz's power within me, maybe I can use…th-the Citrine's power, too._ "

"Yeah, but that's mixing the powers of the two stones. That's never been done before and there's no telling what could happen."

" _R-Resta…pl-please. O-Our friends…my dear sister and cousin…are all close to death right now. I-I want…t-to save them all. I want to save my world…and Amitie's world…and your world, too. This is our last and only option…so please, Resta. Confide in me…and lend me the Citrine's power._ "

"N-Neptune…" I remained silent for a bit. What Neptune said…with the little energy of life she had…the amount of kindness and selflessness she had within her was astonishing to me. Never in my life have I ever met such a person.

It was truly…inspiring.

"…Alright, Neptune. I'll do it. I'll give you the Citrine's power."

" _Th-Thanks…R-Resta. I-I really…o-owe you big time._ " Neptune said as she stood up on her own two feet. Gaining the attention of the two psychopaths.

"So, uh…how exactly do we do this?" I asked.

" _I…have an idea. Just give me the Citrine…and I'll handle the rest._ "

"Uh…okay, then. If you truly know what to do, then…here you go." I gave Neptune the Scorpio Citrine that normally hangs around my neck. And allowed her to use its power to execute this plan she had in mind.

_If this truly is the last and only option…I sure hope she knows what she's doing._

* * *

**Neptune's POV**

_What I'm about to do may be the riskiest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm not sure how this will turn up…but with my friends, my cousin, and my sister all clinging to life…and Gamindustri slowly crumbling apart and disintegrating into nothing…this is the only resort. My last resort. If this doesn't go as I hope it does…then I can kiss everything that I love and cherish goodbye forever. As they'll be erased in the most gruesome way possible._

_And no way in hell will I let that happen._

"And just what do you want, Neptune? Desire more pain?" Arfoire asked me. "Well, you'll just have to wait your turn. I'm not done murdering this brat yet." I then saw Amitie being crushed, suffocated, and electrocuted by the same glowing chains that shattered my soul.

And that only fueled my rage.

" _Arfoire…Revati…you two psycho bitches…have caused enough pain and torture. I won't let you, Kurome, or that Ridel girl destroy our homes and kill the people we love….Just to fuel your lust for vengeance. I'll annihilate you both…right here right now._ "

"You? Annihilate me? Don't be a pathetic idiot in your final moments of life." Revati said.

"In case you've forgotten, Neptune…your soul is shattered." Arfoire added. "You're powerless to me now than you were before. Without your goddess powers, you don't stand a chance."

" _I may not have HDD anymore…but thanks to my soul being shattered…I've now found a new way to fight. One that will definitely be…soulful._ _ ***giggle***_ "

"What?"

I then took out the Citrine and held it out in front of me. Gaining the same sadistic smile on my face that Arfoire gave me the day she shattered my soul.

Only this time…it didn't scare me at all.

" _ ***giggle***_ _To the gates of heaven, my soul shall fly…_

_I send it screaming across the sky._

_It shall endure a pleasant rebirth…_

_And slowly it'll gain such substantial girth._

_Citrine of Scorpio, listen to me…_

_**Give me power! So mote it be!**_ "

" **Sh-She knows the chant?!** " Arfoire yelled in shock.

"Hmph. Color me impressed." Was all Revati said.

" **Paikauhale!** " And then…after I had activated the Citrine's power, it glowed a bright orange light and engulfed me inside of it. I felt the powers of both the Scorpio Citrine and the Sagittarius Topaz fusing together inside of me. A soul-inducing ecstasy rushing through my body…

It felt so good…it felt **SO NEPPING GOOD!**

I then felt myself being released from the light. And stood in front of everyone with my newfound power.

My Parka Dress was now fully white. With streaks of light-blue running across the entire thing. My socks were completely gone and my shoes were no longer purple. Instead…they were both a mix of white & light-blue. This would be the same for my D-pad clips and even my eyes, which had the soul symbol in each.

And lastly…my body was completely covered with light-blue stripes. And I mean everywhere. Even in places you couldn't see right now. And my hair…even though the center strand of it was now light-blue, it was mostly still the same lilac color I'm known for.

But trust me…I'm a completely different person now.

"Woah…" Resta said.

"Nep-Nep…" Compa said.

"Wh-What the…What is this?! What is going on?!" Arfoire yelled in pure anger and confusion.

Meanwhile…all I did was just giggle. And continued giggling until I felt good and hell ready to start my **OWN** quest for vengeance.

"Welcome to **MY** Fantasy Zone! _Get ready!_ _ ***giggle***_ "

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Feli returns to Primp and sees the state it's gotten to…eventually helping Noire surviving her injuries, all but Resta, Compa, and Neptune lay in defeat by Arfoire and Revati. And with nothing left to do, the latter creates a brand-new power. Based on her own shattered soul.
> 
> For those unaware of the stories Feli's Existence & Feli's Summer Break, Futaba and Rin are original characters from those stories. They are not canon to this one (at least not yet. They will be semi-canon in the near future), though I suggest reading them. Mainly to understand the characters more. But also because I really enjoyed writing them both (Feli's Summer Break is currently going through editing at this time).
> 
> An update on my playthrough of Victory 2. I've now reached the third part of the story after getting through the grueling second part. It's no doubt the longest part of the game and I easily felt it. But, hey…at least I'm almost done.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	13. A Battle Filled With Soul (Part 1)

**Neptune's POV**

"Wh-What the hell…?"

" _ ***giggle***_ Impressed, Arfoire?" I said to her still shocked face. "After all, I do owe you for shattering my soul in the first place. I would've never gained access to such a badass ability if you didn't ambush me days ago. So…you _**REALLY**_ have my thanks _ ***giggle***_."

"Woah…so this is the result…"

"Resty, what happened to Nep-Nep?" Compa asked Resta. "Why does she look like… **THAT**?"

"Simply put, Compa…this is what happens when two or more Zodiac Stones fused their powers together. They create an entirely new power based on the other signs of the Zodiac. And in this case…the powers of Scorpio and Sagittarius have fused to create…the power of Aquarius."

"Aquarius…so, it's like an entirely new Zodiac power?"

"Yeah…pretty much."

_An entirely new Zodiac power…and it's all_ _**MINE** _ _?_ _***giggle*** _ _…I can_ _**TOTALLY** _ _get used to this!_

"So…" I said. "…let's test this new power out, shall we? **Ekchusis!** "

***BOOM***

" _Gah…_ "

I then attacked Arfoire with this new light-blue energy rushing through my body. Freeing Amitie from her grasps and catching her at the very last second.

_Thank God my mind's not_ _**COMPLETELY** _ _far gone…_

"Hey! Amitie! Are you alright?!"

" _Ow…_ Geez, Neptune. You could at least try to go easy with these new powers you got." Amitie complained as she rubbed her head.

" _Hehhehheh…_ sorry. But at least you're okay. Are you still able to fight, though?"

"Heh. Hell yeah, I'm still able to fight. I want revenge just as much as you do."

" _ ***giggle***_ Great to hear, my dear cousin."

"Do you truly believe the two of you can beat us?" Arfoire asked. "Neptune's new power may be a hurdle…but you're still nothing more than a normal child, Amitie. You stand no chance."

"A normal child, huh?" Amitie giggled a bit. "So, you really don't know…what my mom did to me back then, huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this. **Come to me now! Light Soul!** " Then, as Amitie removed her rainbow hat from her head, she was engulfed in a rainbow-like light. And then came out of it with an entirely new look. Now wearing a light-pink sleeveless shirt with a pink sailor-style tie and a yellow ribbon underneath it. With a pink flower pin to connect them together. Similar to Nepgear's.

Her shorts were no longer pattered purple, green, and yellow. And were just plain pink, with no patterns or designs whatsoever. And had a red belt that…didn't really connect to anything. Even her shoes pink crocs had changed to a pair of pink & white boots.

But the one thing I noticed about her…well, okay, two things. First, her green wristband was glowing. And second, the middle part of her blonde hair was a light-pink color. Showing off some high amount of power on its own.

Then again…Amitie as a whole was showing some immense power.

_Wait…could_ _**THIS** _ _be the rather huge third thing she brought up before?_

" _Hah~…_ it's been a **LONG** time since I've used these powers. Can't wait to use them once more. _***giggle***_ "

"Y-You got to be kidding me… **YOU'RE** the Light Soul?!"

"Light Soul?" Compa, Resta, and I asked as Arfoire was in a panic for some reason.

"Oh? So, you know about this, too? Well then, I'll be glad to give you a little taste of it. _If you so desire._ _ ***giggle***_ "

"Tch! D-Damnit…"

"What are you so worked up for?" Revati asked. "Let's just kill them already and get the hell out of this dump of a world." She then raised up her Zodiac Stone and prepared for another attack.

"Y-You fool! Don't do…"

"Alrescha." A black hand formed from the stone and was heading right for us.

But…

" **Mirror!** "

…Amitie suddenly shouted. Then the wristband on her left arm changed from green to turquoise. And that pink part of her hair changed to turquoise, too.

" **Reflect Force!** " Amitie then shot out a bunch of tiny mirrors out from her left hand. Stopping the black hand from reaching us and even gave it a few cuts and scraps.

"What?"

" **Plasma!** " Amitie shouted again before both her wristband and hair changed from turquoise to light-green. With her wristband having electric sparks around it. She then started charging up a huge amount of electric power…and soon had an electrical barrier around her.

" **Plasma Wave!** " Amitie shouted once more as she shot the barrier at the hand. Electrocuting it like a taser as it fled back into the Zodiac Stone.

" _Grr…_ What the hell? How did you get so strong so quickly?" Revati asked.

"This is what I was saying before." Arfoire said. "Fighting that girl right now would be futile for us."

"Hmph. Maybe for you. But I ain't quitting until Resta lays in a pool of her own blood. And if you're too scared to fight, then get the hell away from me."

" _ ***sigh***_ _You stubborn little girl…_ Fine, do as you wish. I'm too busy to deal with this right now." Arfoire then turned to the four of us. "Au revoir for now, girls. Next time we meet will **TRULY** be game over for you all! **Hahahahahaha!** "

"You're fleeing?! Hey!" I yelled as I tried to stop her. But I wasn't fast enough…and Arfoire got away again.

" _Ugh!_ Damnit!"

"We'll deal with her later, Neptune." Resta said as she walked up to the both of us. "Right now…we got this nuisance to go up against."

"You're still helping? I did take the citrine's power."

"Not all of it. I still got enough for me to fight with. Especially against a demented princess."

"I see…"

"You're gonna pay for hurting my friends, Revati!"

"Y-You too, Compa?!" I asked in shock.

"Don't be silly, Nep-Nep. You know that I'll always have your back no matter what!"

"Compa…" I nearly teared up from hearing that.

"Hmph. 4 against 1…even though the odds are against me, I will **NOT** lose to any of you. This shattering port will be your final graves."

"Is that so, Revati?" I asked her before giggling a bit. " _Then come try me, bitch! All four of us will make you eat those pathetically cocky words of yours! And then some!_ _ ***giggle***_ "

"Such cocky last words. I shall make you regret saying them. Now…let's…"

" **PUYO BATTLE!** " All five of us shouted in pure fiery rage as we prepared for a _**VERY**_ unique boss battle.

_The first boss and it's already life or death. This is gonna be fun._ _***demented giggle*** _

* * *

**Noire's POV**

"Meow. Meow."

_***internal moan*** _ _M-My head…it still feels a little fuzzy…_

"Meow. Meow."

_Huh? Meow? Is that…is a cat nearby?_

"Meow. Meow."

_Yeah…that's definitely a cat. But where…_

"Meow."

_Gah! It's swatting my nose! At this rate, I'm gonna…_

" **ACHOO!** " I made a powerful sneeze, which woke me up from my sleep and even gave me a little whiplash.

" _ ***sniff***_ Aw, geez…"

"Meow." I then noticed the pure white cat sitting across from me. Constantly meowing as he wanted me to pick him up.

"Geez, kitty." I said as I grabbed hold of him. "You really gave me a powerful one back there."

"Meow." The cat then began to play with my nose like it was a cat toy.

" _ ***giggle***_ Well, I gotta admit. You are pretty cute."

"I know right? Cutest cat I've ever seen."

_W-Wait…th-that voice…_

And so, I turned my head beside me to my left. And there, mildly covered with bandages and wearing a black cap with a single white wing on her head, a grey shirt that exposed her stomach a little, black jean shorts, and a pair of grey boots, was…

" **U-Uni! You're okay!** "

"Of course, I am. I learned to be as tough as you, didn't I?"

"That's true, but…after what we went through, I'm just glad you're doing okay."

"Same for you, Noire. When the others brought you in here, you were a complete mess. I…I honestly thought you wouldn't make it."

"What? Geez…have some faith in your older sister. I'm not the CPU of Lastation for nothing, you know."

" _ ***giggle***_ Yeah, that's true." Uni gained a small smile.

_She seems to be doing okay…that's good, at least. After watching our home crumbling and tearing apart, I thought she would totally be broken._

…

_Like how I am…a little._

"So…the outfit's new. Where'd you get it?"

"Oh, this? Well, my clothes were torn up pretty bad. So, I was given new ones. And I gotta say…I look pretty good."

"You don't say…"

"Why do you look unsure? You got changed, too."

"Huh?" And with that, I looked and finally noticed that (aside from the bandages) I wasn't wearing my favorite black dress anymore. Instead, it was a white t-shirt with some black design on the left side of it, a black checkered mini-skirt, and a pair of black & white boots. And in my hair was a pair of blue ribbons with a black centerpiece.

"Wow…I actually look pretty good."

"Right? I had the same feeling when I changed into this."

"Who picked these out, though?"

"Uh…from what Arle told me, some guy named Oshare owns a clothing store in this world. It's known that he's a real fashion expert."

"Huh…" Was all I said.

_A male fashion expert? You don't see that everyday…_

"Meow. Meow."

"Oh. Sorry, little cutie. We were having a sisterly moment and we almost forgot about you."

"Meow." The cat began swatting my nose again. Normally, it would hurt, but…it actually kinda tickles.

" _ ***giggle***_ H-Hey, stop."

"That cat is honestly really cute." Uni said. "I wonder who owns him."

"He's mine."

" **K-KYAAA! A-A GHOST?!** " We both yelled in shock after a ghost with blue hair appeared in front of us.

"Meow. Meow."

"Kat. There you are."

"Meow." The cat then jumped out of my hands and made his way to the head of his…apparent owner. Looking oddly comfortable.

_W-Wait, so…this ghost_ _**OWNS** _ _this cat?!_ _**Was I holding a ghost cat just now?!** _

"Rei…don't just appear out of nowhere so randomly. You're gonna scare people."

" **Y-You just did the same thing!** " I yelled at the turquoise-haired girl who had also appeared out of nowhere.

"Yeah, but I'm human. I'm not gonna scare people when I do it."

" **Anyone would be scared of that!** " Uni yelled." **Human or ghost!** "

" _Ugh._ Whatever. Human emotions are too complicated to understand, anyway."

"You say that, yet you're a human yourself…" We both gained a sweatdrop.

"Hey, are you guys okay in here?" We heard a voice call out to us. Then saw Feli walking up to us.

"Hey, Feli. Do you…know these two?" I asked.

"The human girl is Yu and the ghost boy is Rei. Long story short, Yu used to be a ghost much like her twin brother. But then something happened that made her revive as a human."

"What happened?" Uni asked.

"It's a long story, from what I heard. I don't really know all the details."

"Plus, I rather not bring it up." Yu added.

"Huh…"

"Anyway…"Feli continued. "…You two seem to be doing alright. Nothing broken?"

"I'm doing fine."

"So am I." I said. "In fact, I'm feeling a lot better than I did when I first met you girls."

"Well, you can thank Lemres for that. He managed to make a potion that healed most of your cuts and bruises. Though, we still bandaged you up just in case."

"I see…well…thank you, guys. Really, you saved our lives."

"Well, we did owe you for saving our lives before. It was the least we could do."

_Never would've thought other-worlders could be so nice…this definitely changed my opinion of them. Based on past experiences._

"So…where did you end up taking us?" I asked.

"This is the Precise Museum. A museum and library here in town. It's run by a guy named Akuma and Yu & Rei are some of its employees."

"A museum…and a library…well, that's an interesting combination."

"A lot of people think that." Yu said. "I just like it because the pay's good."

"And Kat's the mascot." Rei added.

"Meow."

"Wait…Kat the Cat?" Uni asked. "His name is Kat?"

"Rei's a bit of a lazy thinker…" Yu said with a sweatdrop.

_To come up with a name like that, "a bit" is an understatement…_

"Anyway…" Feli continued again. "…the others are upfront in the library. We're all trying to figure out what's happening and were hoping you two could give us your side of things."

"Our side, huh?" I went silent for a bit. "Well…I do have this feeling in the back of my mind that both of our worlds are involved in this mess somehow. If retelling what happened to us will help in figuring out what's going on…then we'll do all that we can to help. Right, Uni?"

"Yeah, Noire's right. We'll help with whatever we can do." Uni said.

"Thanks, you guys."

"Hey, uh…what exactly happened to you two?" Yu asked.

"To put it simply, Yu…a completely screwed up nightmare." I said with a depressed sigh.

_I think my broken mind is starting to show…_

* * *

Uni and I followed the three residents of this world to where the library part of this building was. There, we saw Arle, Ringo, Futaba, Rin, Lemres from before, and then…a giant blue bear doll?

…

O-Okay…

"Hey, guys. They're up now." Feli said. Gaining the group's attention.

"Hey, you two. Glad you're feeling better." Arle said.

"Thanks, Arle." I replied. "We really owe it to all of you for taking us in."

"And that potion really helped, too." Uni added. "I almost feel like nothing happened."

"Well, I'm glad you liked it." Lemres said.

"Still, though…you guys could've given my potion a chance."

"Rin, I keep telling you. The stuff you make with your chemistry set are definitely **NOT** made for drinking." Futaba said to her friend.

"You don't know that. You, Hinata, and Naoko keep pushing off whenever I try to get you to drink it."

"That's because nobody wants to drink Mercury, Benzene, Arsenic, or Cyanide."

" **Wh-What the hell?!** " Uni and I yelled in a huge shock.

"Aw, come on. They won't kill you… _r-right away._ "

"I freaking heard that, you know." Futaba gained a sweatdrop.

"Hmm…so, these are the two girls you mentioned before, **KUMA!** " Asked the blue bear doll (I think).

"Yep." Arle said. "Their names are Noire and Uni. They say that they came from a different world."

"I see, **KUMA!** "

"This is Akuma. The guy I was talking about." Feli said to us. "He's a demonic teddy bear who's pretty knowledgeable in stuff like this. Basically…if something's wrong with the world, he's the guy to ask."

"I see…" I said.

_So, he's like Histoire, in a way…_

"Noire and Uni, correct?" Akuma asked us. "From what I've been told. You two possess knowledge on these current events, is that right, **KUMA!** "

"Well…we don't know much. But we can explain the stuff up in the sky. And how we got here."

"Hmm…very well. Then, please…start from the beginning, **MA, KUMA, KUMAAAA!** "

_Why does he yell "kuma" after every sentence like that? Is that normal for him?_

"Well, you see…"

And so, like how I told the girls, I explained to Akuma what happened. And it was harder than the first time, too. Mainly because the horrific memories were almost too much to bear. And I was trying not to cry in front of Uni…who I noticed that she was trying to hold back, too.

_So, she is mentally scarred from that…it honestly makes me a little better knowing that she feels the same._

"I see…such an ordeal you two went through, **KUMA!** "

"Damn…that is screwed up." Yu said. "I'm honestly shocked that you two are still alive after experiencing that apocalyptic mess."

"Did you really have to say it like that, Yu?" Futaba gained a sweatdrop.

"Yeah…it was." I said with a sigh. "And the worst part of it is that it all happened out of nowhere. Both of us were completely blindsided when the sky turned into that space void. And then our whole nation crumbling to literal pieces soon after."

"Man…how horrible." Arle said.

"Gu gu…"

"So, I guess that truly explains how those landmasses appeared in the sky." Lemres added.

_Now that I think about it…could the same thing had happened to the other nations? I haven't seen any landmarks relating to Planeptune, Lowee, or Leanbox yet. But if it could happen to mine, then I guess it's only a matter of time._

"Hey, Noire…" Futaba said to me. "…Those monsters you fought earlier…you seemed to be rather familiar with them."

"Oh, that. Well, a lot of them are common creatures you find in our world. So, I was really confused when I saw a whole swarm of them here."

"Gah! It's all Ridel's fault!" Yu yelled. "Her psycho-ass used some weird stone-crystal-thing and brought on all this mess just to screw with us again! She **NEVER** gives up!"

"It's annoying." Rei added.

"Meow." And an added meow from Kat.

"Wait…Ridel? That name sounds familiar."

"Huh?" We all looked at Uni.

"Uni, you know who this Ridel girl is?" I asked her.

"Well, I don't actually _**know**_ her. I just…" Uni then went silent for a bit. Trying to remember where she heard the name before. "…O-Oh, yeah! I remember hearing a girl named Amitie telling me about her!"

" **W-Wait, what?!** " Ringo yelled in shock.

" **You know who Amitie is?!** " Arle asked.

"Uh…let me see…Oh, yeah! She fell from the sky while I was visiting Planeptune. Both Neptune and Nepgear said that she was their cousin."

"W-Wait, seriously? Neptune has a cousin?" I asked with a mind completely blown.

_How come she never brought that up?_

"Neptune?" Feli said. "Wait, I know her. Amitie introduced Lidelle and me to her a few days ago. She said that she was from a different dimension."

"S-So, Am has a cousin, huh?" Ringo asked with a sweatdrop. "From another dimension, nonetheless."

"Leave it to Amitie to have a weird-as-hell family tree…" Arle said. Also with a sweatdrop.

"Anything else she said, Uni?" Feli asked.

"Well…she said something about Zodiac Stones and a girl named Resta knowing all about them. Everyone had decided to go look for her by the time I was leaving. So, they probably found her by now."

"I see, **KUMA!** " Akuma said. "Resta the Scorpio Princess…if we are to fully connect what has happened to both worlds, then we would need her full cooperation, **KUMA!** "

"How are we gonna do that, though?" Rin asked. "Isn't this Resta girl with Amitie in a different world?"

"That is true, **KUMA!** Lemres…see if you can find Ecolo out there. His knowledge with Space-Time could be proven useful, **KUMA!** "

"Sure thing, Akuma." Lemres said with a tip of his hat.

"Y-You're asking Ecolo?" Ringo asked. "Knowing him, he probably won't take any of this seriously."

"That is a possibility, yes. But with him constantly traveling to different dimensions, you cannot deny that his power to traverse through dimensions is our only hope in returning Amitie and the others back home, **KUMA!** "

_Just how powerful is this Ecolo guy?_

"Yeah…that's true. But still, I should tag along, too. He'll probably at least pretend to be serious if it's coming from my mouth."

"Fair enough, **MA, KUMA, KUMAAAA!** "

"You two are really going out there?" Yu asked.

"Those monsters…" Rei added.

"We'll just have to fight them if we encounter them." Lemres said. "Nothing else we can do about it."

"Don't worry, Arle." Ringo said to her. "I won't to too reckless out there. I'll come back safe 'n sound."

"Ringo…"

" _Hey, Noire…you thinking what I'm thinking?_ " Uni whispered to me.

" _Yeah…definitely._ " I said. " ***clears throat*** Hey, guys. If you don't mind, we're coming along, too."

"Seriously?" Feli asked. "But you both are still recovering from your injuries."

"It's not as bad as before. And besides, the monsters are coming from our world. So, we'll know how to handle them."

"And there's **A LOT** of strong ones, too." Uni added. "So, there's no telling which ones will start appearing here."

"What's your call, Akuma?" Lemres asked the demonic teddy bear.

"They both possess valid points, **KUMA!** It would be best if they tagged along with you both, **KUMA!** Just in case."

"Well alright, then." Ringo said. "Thanks for the help, Noire and Uni."

"We'll be under your care from this point on." Lemres added. "Try to keep up, okay?"

"Ha. _**Please**_. These low-leveled monsters are no match for Lastation's CPU. I'll slice them all down to size! _Hahahaha!_ "

" _Hey, is Noire normally this arrogant?_ " Feli asked Uni.

" _You get used to it…_ " Uni replied with a sweatdrop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With powers new and old fully charged up, Neptune, Amitie, Resta, and Compa face off against Revati as the worlds are slowly starting to fuse. Meanwhile, back in Primp…Noire and Uni tag along with Ringo and Lemres to look for Ecolo and get his help on bringing Amitie home.
> 
> Easier said than done…
> 
> I know I said before that there would be only five astrological signs would be referenced. But…thinking about it, using all 12 would be better. Case in point, Revati representing Pisces and Neptune's new power representing Aquarius (also some changes were made at the end of the previous chapter).
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	14. A Battle Filled With Soul (Part 2)

**Resta's POV**

"Here I go!"

"Attack!"

" **Sweet Syringe!** "

" **Love Syringe!** "

***BOOM***

"H-Hey! I did it! I think I'm getting the hang of this, Ami!" Compa cheered after pulling off something called a 4-chain for her first time playing this Puyo Puyo game.

…

Which is a weird name for a game, now that I think about it.

"That's great, Compa! Keep it up!"

"Will do!"

"Tch. A lucky strike." Revati said. "But that will be your last and only stroke of it. You will all perish here."

" _Hah! that ain't happening, you moody little psycho! I'm still raring to go! With or without these rainbow jellies!_ _ ***creepy giggle***_ " Meanwhile, Neptune was still all powered up thanks to the fusion of the two stone's powers. It was still crazy to me that she can use the powers of the Zodiac. And to the point where she even created an entirely new power for herself.

Then again…Amitie's looking pretty crazy herself. With whatever this "Light Soul" thing she turned into. It's still pretty freaky just looking at her.

_I guess these two really are cousins…_

"Still so freaking cocky…your existence is starting to annoy me. No wonder Arfoire wishes to destroy you."

" _She tried…and after many years and so many attempts, she still hasn't taken me out. You can't kill off the freaking protag. Arfoire will learn such a rule…and so will you._ _ ***creepy giggle***_ "

"Tch. Shut up, already. You're so damn annoying." Revati was getting angrier…but you couldn't really tell by looking at her. Her face was so…emotionless and empty. Only fueled with the hatred and desired vengeance she long sought for 10 years as a dead soul. To get rid of me and the others…and continue her path of evil and destruction.

…

…

…

At least…I think that's how it was.

" _Ha! Now, you know how we all feel right, Resta?!_ "

…

" _Uh…_ Resta?" Neptune asked.

" **Hey! Resty!** " Compa yelled. Which brought me back to reality from a moment of spacing out.

"H-Huh? Oh…sorry, everyone."

"What's with you?" Amitie asked. "Why are you spacing out at a time like this?"

"Well, soon after we started this…"Puyo Battle" thing…a weird memory popped up. A memory of Revati, nonetheless."

"Huh?" The three girls were confused.

"A memory…" Revati said. "…so, you remember executing me and wiping out my kingdom 10 years ago huh, Resta?"

"Well, that's the thing…I don't."

" **What?!** "

"For some reason…my memories of you are rather recent. As if I've known you since before any of this ever happened…and you were a completely different person. But I don't know why…"

" **Tch! Stop saying such nonsense! You and the other princesses destroyed my kingdom! Slaughtered my people! And worst of all...took me out with them!** "

"Did we, though? I mean…what reason would we have to do such a thing?"

" **A-As if I freaking know! I was completely blindsided! Point is…for the past decade, I've sought out revenge on you all! To make you all feel the everlasting pain of losing everything! And live out your anger as a lonely soul!** "

As Revati grew angrier, the power around her due to her Zodiac Stone grew to a substantial amount. These feelings of betrayal and revenge have consumed her soul…to the point where there's no chance of calming her down.

" _And now…_ _ **NOW…Now that I have been revived, I shall take my revenge on ALL of you! And eradicate anyone else who gets in my way! No matter what world I reside in!**_ "

" _ ***sigh***_ _There's just no talking to her…_ "

"Hey, Resta…" Amitie said to me. "…is it really true that you did all those things to Revati and her kingdom?"

"I…I don't know, Amitie. I mean before, it was a permanent memory. But now…for some reason…my memories of 10 years ago are vastly different from what Revati is saying. I don't know what to think anymore."

"Resta…"

" _Grr…_ Now you are starting to piss me off, Resta! **I'LL SEND YOU ALL TO THE FORBODING AFTERLIFE!** " The aura around Revati was getting darker my the minute. Her emotions taking control of pretty much everything else.

" ***meep*** Revati's getting **SUPER** angry!" Compa whimpered.

"Then we don't have a choice now…" Amitie said. "…Let's take her down so that we can figure out what the truth really is."

"You still in this, Resta?" Neptune asked me. "After all…I still want to keep that promise to you."

"Neptune…" I went silent for a bit. Then grew a smile on my face as I joined the other three upfront. "…Yeah. I'm ready. **Let's take this girl down!** "

" _That a girl, Resta!_ _ ***creepy giggle***_ "

"These emotions…these happy-filled emotions…they piss me off so damn much! Seeing you all so freaking happy angers me deeply! I'll erase this happiness away…just like how mine was 10 years ago!"

" _Bring it, Revati! This battle is ain't over yet!_ _**Hahahahaha!**_ "

All immediate focus then went back to stacking up Puyos. Each of our objectives is to take down the opposing player. In an attempt to save all worlds…or watch them all be erased.

"Now…"

"Disappear…"

"Alrescha…"

"Fumalsamakah…"

"Delta Piscium…"

"Epsilon Piscium…"

Revati was the first one to set off. And without any effort, she started performing a 6-chain with her stack of Puyos. Creating a huge pile of Garbage Puyo just hovering over our heads.

" **Crap!** " Amitie yelled. " **Guys! If we don't get a 7-chain or higher, that pile of Garbage Puyo is gonna hurt BAD!** "

" _I'm on it, Cousin._ _ ***giggle***_ _Time to see what this Aquarius power can_ _ **REALLY**_ _do._ " Neptune then started stacking the Puyos in such a high speed that it was almost hard to keep track of them. I'm pretty sure it was her first time playing…but it looked like she's already a freaking pro at it.

_I guess being a gamer really does have its benefits…_

" _ ***giggle***_ "

" _You ready~?_ "

" **Sadalmelik!** "

" **Sadalsuud!** "

" **Ancha!** "

" **Ekchusis!** "

" **Aquarii!** "

" _ **Return~!**_ "

***BOOM***

"Tch! Damnit…" Neptune had successfully gotten rid of the gray rock things from over our side and flung it back to Revati's. And since she didn't counter in time, the pile fell on her in a huge rush.

" **Alright, Neptune!** "

" **You did it, Nep-Nep!** " Amitie and Compa cheered.

" _F…Fools. Th-This is…not over yet!_ " Revati said as she staggered to get back up.

"Revati, listen to me." I said. "These memories…I don't think they're true. Something must've made us think these things."

"And now you're…you're **DENYING** them?! You're denying the pain and suffering you brought upon me?! Now you've done it, Resta! Now I will show you **ZERO MERCY!** "

And in almost an instant, we were ambushed by a full combo of Revati's attacks. With the pink hand from before swiping us in the air…making deep cuts in our stomachs in the process…slamming us all to the ground, and blasting us with multiple spheres of dark pink energy.

And in such a rapid succession…it really hurt a lot.

" _Owie…_ " Compa whined.

" _D-Damn…th-that hurt…_ " Neptune said.

" _R-Revati, calm down!_ " I yelled.

"Calm down?! **CALM DOWN?! You expect me to calm down after all the nonsensical crap you just told me?! You Scorpios truly are stubborn! Now…accept your demise and get the hell out of my sight!** "

" _R-Revati…_ "

" **Van Maanen's Star…** "

***BOOM***

***screams of pain***

Once Revati blasted us again, I felt my body getting weaker. To the point where I started losing consciousness.

I wasn't dying…at least not yet. But the fact that I was being brutally murdered by a group of psychos who wanted nothing more than gruesome revenge…and Revati being one of them…claiming that I wiped out her and her kingdom when I'm having trouble remembering it all of a sudden…it's truly one of the worst ways to live out the rest your life.

If only things went a different direction…if only we learned the truth to these memories…if only…

_If only Revati would freaking listen to me…_

* * *

**Revati's POV**

"They're dead. About freaking time." I said as I looked over the multiple lifeless corpses that laid before my eyes.

_People of the Lilac Kingdom…your princess has finally avenged you._

" _Nyahahaha! Nice going, Revati! You made them all look like a joke!_ " Appearing behind me was the girl known as Ridel. Congratulating me on a job well done.

"Yeah…whatever. I got my vengeance against Resta…and even got rid of those CPUs and Light Soul for you both. Now…fulfill your end of the deal and revive my kingdom."

" _Yeah…well, about that…_ _ **Raffiche!**_ "

***BOOM***

"Tch! What the hell?!" I yelled after Ridel had attacked me out of nowhere.

" _So, here's the thing, Revati…we were never going to revive your kingdom. You were just a pawn in a quest for revenge! Nyahahaha!_ "

"A pawn…so, you used me! Both of you! Reviving me was nothing more than a joke to you two!"

" _Ding, ding, ding! You're right!_ " Ridel went silent for a bit. " _Although…since we're ditching you here, I might as well tell you this._ "

"Tell me what?"

" _Oh, you know…that it was actually Kurome who murdered you and all the Pisces in your kingdom, manipulated everyone's memories to believe that it all happened 10 years ago, and made you believe that it was the other five princesses. Fully circling the plot of using you for your Zodiac Stone._ "

" **WHAT?!** " I grew extremely angry.

" _It was a pretty crazy plan, to be completely honest. Didn't think it would work…but you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker! So glad I was wrong! Hahahaha!_ "

_I…Impossible…so, Resta was right. All of these decade-old memories and feelings of hatred…were all a lie. I was revived…no…I was murdered…only for them to use my powers. And I fell for it completely._

" _You…_ You **psychopaths! You murderous psychotic bitches! I lost EVERYTHING! My people! My kingdom! Even my own ****ing life! And it was ALL for my stone?! You two are nothing more than monstrosities from Hell!** "

" _Says the girl who just brutally killed 9 people without any once of remorse. You're just as big of a monstrosity as us, Revati._ _ ***demented giggle***_ "

"Tch…" I went silent. Knowing that she was right.

_M…My people…f-forgive me. I was deceived to do such evil things…not worthy of your princess…_

" _But don't you worry, Revati. You can apologize to them all really soon…_ _ **once I send you to the depths of Hell, that is! Nyahahahaha!**_ "

Normally, I would be making some kind of retort to such a statement. But…I…I cannot focus. The knowledge of my people…my kingdom…and my life…were carelessly ripped out from existence just so a duo of little girls could use my stone for their own evil gain.

And, of course…I do not have any right to refer to them as "evil". Considering what I did to 9 girls who had nothing to do with it. Victims of the delusions of a false memory.

This is why…to atone for my sins…I shall not fight. I shall take this final blow…and return to the afterlife where I belong. Only this time…I will be living in endless torment.

A fitting punishment…for an abomination like me.

" _Nyahahaha! Good riddance, Pisces Princess! You were useful until you weren't! Now, join your people in the depths of Hell!_ _ **Monocromati…**_ "

" **Albaldah!** "

***BOOM***

" _ ***cough* *cough***_ _Gah! The hell was that?!_ " Ridel yelled as her attack on me was stopped at the last second. She may not have been able to see it…but I did. And it looked too similar to…an arrow.

_That spell…with an arrow…it can't be…_

"Geez…to think that you two would be so messed-up as to wipe out an entire race just to benefit your plan." And then, out from the smoke, came someone who…I think…I haven't seen in nearly a decade.

_The Sagittarius Princess…Sagey…_

" _ **Hey! The hell are you doing, Slave?! You're supposed to be under mind control!**_ "Ridel yelled in anger.

"Oh, yeah…that. Truth is, I was never under your control in the first place. All those acting lessons _**really**_ paid off. _***giggle***_ "

" _ **What?!**_ "

"And that's not all. Look above you… **Kaus Australis! *SNAP*** "

With a snap of her fingers, Sagey summoned an arrow that she most likely shot up there beforehand and it landed on the downed 9 girls. Clearing them of most of their injuries done by me.

 _ ***giggle***_ _Well…you actually proved me wrong about those acting lessons, Sagey…_ " Resta was the first to get up. And the others soon followed. Slowly rising due to their injuries still emulating pain.

_But…the fact that they are able to get up at all is…rather impressive._

" _Tch! You damn little…_ " Ridel said to Sagey before turning back to me. " _Revati, do something!_ "

…

…

…

" _ **Revati!**_ "

"Piss off, you abomination of a creature." I said as I turned my back against her.

" _ **What?!**_ "

"Woah…Revati's not listening to Ridel. I wonder what happened…"

"I'll explain later, Amitie." Resta said to the girl. "Right now, we've got another threat to deal with."

" _Heh…so, you're Ridel, huh?_ " The CPU named Neptune spoke." _I've got some choice words for you for screwing up my soul, you twisted little girl!_ _ ***creepy giggle***_ "

" _Tch! Don't any of you push your luck._ " Ridel then quickly flew up in the air. Looking down on all of us. " _I ain't staying to fight an unfair fight. This world's almost done crumbling apart and you'll all just die along with it._ _ **FOR REAL, THIS TIME! NYAHAHAHAHA!**_ "

The psychotic girl then disappeared in an attempt to flee. And soon after, the ground we were standing on began to shake. Signaling that it was almost time for this area's demise. And soon…this entire world's.

All because I was blinded by a false sense of revenge.

_I shall never…forgive myself for this…_

* * *

**Resta's POV**

***BOOM***

***CRASH***

***MORE EXPLOSION NOISES***

The area around us was tearing apart. Pieces and pieces were crumbling and either disintegrating into nothing or being raised up into the deep blue spacey void. Becoming silhouettes of their own as they joined the other landmasses slowly floating in a sea of nothing.

" **Wh-What do we do?! E-Everything's tearing apart!** " Compa yelled in a panic.

" **H-Hey! You two had wings when you turned into those…supergirl things before! Can't you just fly us out of here?!** " Rulue asked Nepgear and Uzume.

" **Are you crazy?!** " Uzume yelled. " **There's no way us two can carry us all out of here in time!** "

" **Then what, damnit?! I don't want to die in a different world!** "

" **ESP!** "

We all then looked at Amitie as her wristband had turned into a ring of light-blue energy and the middle part of her blonde hair was now purple.

…

Also, she was floating. Probably should've said that first.

" **Everyone! Quick! Get close to me!** " She yelled.

" **W-Wait! Amitie?! Wh-What the heck happened to you?!** " Nepgear asked.

" **I'll explain later! Just get near me!** "

And with that, everyone gathered around Amitie as she was about to get us all out of here.

…

But then, I noticed that one person was still separated from the group. Standing all alone as the ground continued to crumble to pieces.

" **Hey! Revati! Get over here!** " I yelled at her.

Revati didn't respond. She just looked over at me and turned back around. Continuing to stand in the destruction of this resort port.

" **Revati!** "

"Leave me, Resta. Leave me to perish in the destruction of this world. It is the only proper punishment for the cruelty I have done to you all."

" **What?! Are you serious?!** "

" **Revati, come on!** " Sagey yelled. " **It wasn't your fault that they tricked you! They tricked all of us, remember?!** "

"That does not matter. I have brought shame to my people for being easily deceived. And plotting a murderous revenge with those twisted girls because of a false memory that I believed to be true. And so, because of that…I must die. For real this time. I must release my soul into the burning pits of Hell for all eternity. To receive the proper torment it so truly deserves."

And then…as she turned to face all of us…Revati said:

"My story ends here, Zodiac Princesses. This crumbling apocalyptic pier shall be my grave. And there is nothing you can do to ever change it."

Revati then fell backward into the crevasse the ground had made. Disappearing from our sights completely.

" **Revati!** "

" **Resta, come on! It's too late now!** " Jarne yelled at me.

" **B-But** …f-fine." I said. Giving in to the current situation.

As we prepared to escape the tearing resort port thanks to Amitie's weird powers, a sense of guilt kept filling my mind. One that was due to fake memories that led to me driving a fellow princess into a gruesome end.

And like she said…there was nothing I could do about it.

…

Except…for one thing.

_Revati…The Pisces Princess…now, it's my turn to avenge you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the first of many Puyo battles to come, Revati learns the dark truth of how and why she was revived. And, overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of guilt, she takes her own life in the now falling apart Rebeat Resort. Letting her own story ending here.
> 
> …
> 
> Or…does it?
> 
> If any of Amitie's powers or her transformation, in general, feel at any at all familiar, that's because it's all from Puyo Puyo: Dream Land Invasion. The first crossover story I did with Puyo Puyo and Kirby. I've been wanting to say this since back in chapter 9, but…Dream Land Invasion (and the Kirby series as a whole) is going to have a great amount of involvement in this story. To what extent…I'm not completely sure yet. Though it won't be a triple crossover, I can tell you that much.
> 
> An update on my playthrough of Victory 2:
> 
> Good news is…I beat the game!
> 
> Bad news is…I got the Ascension Ending.
> 
> Thing is…I didn't know that this game had multiple endings. I mean, I knew mk2 did (one of them being…THAT ending). But this game, I didn't know. And when I looked up how to get the true ending (or the Revival Ending, as the game calls it)…turns out that I did everything right EXCEPT those Guild missions in Neptune's Hyper Dimension Story. I skipped those, not knowing they were a thing. And so, the true ending didn't trigger. So, now I gotta do the whole game all over again just to get that ending. It sucks…but at least the game's good enough for me to do it all over again.
> 
> Also, today is the 30th Anniversary of the Puyo Puyo series! Just felt like pointing that out. Because I just love the series so much.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


	15. Space-Time's Rescue Request

**Ringo's POV**

With the four of us in tow, we began our search through a dark apocalyptic-looking Primp Town for the mischief-making Space-Time Traveler known as Ecolo. Hoping he'll help us out in this mess we've all gotten into.

I'm still a bit uneasy about asking Ecolo for help, knowing him and his behavior. But Akuma did have a good point in saying that his power could be enough to get Am back home.

_The fact that she survived such an ordeal is a huge relief on its own…_

"Hmm…we sure came a long way so far." Lemres said as we ended up in Nahe Forest while still looking for Ecolo.

"Yeah, true…" I said. "…I'm just grateful we haven't run into these monsters yet. It could mean that the others are handling them just fine."

"Hey, guys. I've been wondering…" Noire said to us. "…you said before that you would have to fight these monsters if you did encounter them, right? How exactly would you've done it?"

"Do you guys have special weapons or something like that?" Uni asked.

"Well…no. We actually use magical spells and emotional rainbow-colored jelly blobs."

"Wh-What?" Both sisters gained a confused look on their faces.

"Allow me to explain." Lemres said. "In this world, we all play a game referred to as Puyo Puyo. In which, you stack them up and clear them in groups of four. This concept is used for Puyo battles, where we compete against each other for a variety of reasons."

"Varied of reasons?" Uni asked.

"L-Let's just say…" I spoke. "…while this game is mostly played for fun, there were times in which a Puyo battle was the ultimate choice between life and death. Amongst other things."

"I-I see…"

"It's like the stuff we deal with in Gamindustri…but instead of fancy combo attacks, it's rainbow jelly blobs that determine our fate." Noire said with a huge sweatdrop.

"Yeah…pretty much." Was all I said.

"Well…as weird and dangerous as this game sounds, it would help us a lot if we learned how to play it."

"Huh? Seriously?"

"What do you mean, Noire?" Uni asked.

"Think about it, Uni. With the way Lastation is now…it's near impossible to receive share power and transform. If we're going to fight our way through this mess, we'll need a new source of power."

…

…

…

"Y-Yeah…you do have a point." Uni said after thinking about it. "I-It's just…thinking of what happened to Lastation…our home…and the people who lived there and cherished everything about it… _ ***sniff***_ _I-It's just so hard to comprehend!_ _ **What kind of heartless psychopath would do this evil shit just for the hell of it?! It makes no ****ing sense! Waaaa!**_ "

"Uni…" Was all Noire could say as she tried to comfort her little sister, who had broken down completely. Crying real hard tears of traumatic sadness as she is reminded of the worst day of her life.

"Such a young innocent mind…traumatized by an apocalyptic nightmare." Lemres said to me.

"Yeah, no kidding." I went silent for a bit. "Hey, guys…I may not fully know or understand why all of this is happening…but since both of our words have been dragged into it, I wanna do as much as I can to help you get your home back. And stop Ridel from causing any more destruction."

" _ ***sniff***_ _R-Ringo…_ " Uni said softly.

"You really want to help us? To that extent?" Noire asked.

"Of course. I mean…we are friends, right?"

" **Fr-Friends?!** "

"And friends help each other during dire times. No matter what the situation." Lemres added.

" **Y-Y-Yes, but…** " Noire went dead silent as the blush on her face grew brighter by the minute. Then, after calming down, she gained a small smile. " _ ***sigh***_ Yeah…you guys are right. We're friends and friends help each other out. I can't thank you all enough for helping us thus far. We truly owe you big for this."

"Y-Yeah…w-we really do." Uni added after she had stopped crying.

"Don't mention it, you guys." I said with a thumbs up.

"The pleasure's all mine, as well." Lemres added with a tip of his hat.

"So, to start off repaying you guys, we'll work even harder to help find this Ecolo guy."

"Thanks, Noire." I said. "But…that's no longer necessary."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well…"

_They are gonna be_ _**SO** _ _pissed once they realize this…_

I turned around behind me, took a deep breath, and yelled at the top of my lungs:

" **Ecolo! Quit spying on us already!** "

"Huh?!"

" _Aw~._ You figured it out again, Ringie. _You're so smart~._ "

"Can it, you!"

"W-W-Wait a minute! Hold on! **THIS** is Ecolo?!" Noire yelled once the drooling shadowy blob appeared in front of us.

"Yep. The Wanderer of Worlds. And I'm pretty sure he's been following us in secret ever since we entered the forest. Isn't that right, Ecolo?"

"Yep. Pretty much _ ***giggle***_. Spying on you on normal days is already fun enough…but on a day like this, it was _**really**_ interesting. _Hahahaha!_ "

" _ ***sigh***_ Unbelievable…" I facepalmed.

"Still as mischievous as usual." Lemres said with a sweatdrop.

"I…I'm not sure how to feel about this." Uni said. "I mean…I want to shoot this damn thing for watching me cry just now! But we need his help, don't we?"

"That's pretty much the case."

"Don't worry, Uni." Ecolo said. "I won't tell anyone about your precious crying. Seeing your angry face is way too much fun to spill it out. _***giggle***_ "

" **Sh-Shut up! Screw you!** " Uni's face was beyond red at this point.

"Hey, so…as much as I want to bash this guy in the head too…can we just get this over with?" Noire asked.

"Oh, right." I said before clearing my throat. "Listen, Ecolo. This is a huge problem. So, please **TRY** to be serious about it."

" _Ooh~!_ A **HUGE** problem! This is going to be **SUPER** fun! _***giggle***_ "

"Seriously, Ringo. How do you deal with this guy?" Uni asked me.

"It's an everyday struggle, Uni. You just get used to it." I answered with a huge sweatdrop.

* * *

**Noire's POV**

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

" _Oh…_ So, Amitie's stuck in this other world, which is the same world Noire and Uni came from, and you want me to get her back. Is that it?"

"Yeah. That's it." Ringo said after telling Ecolo what was going on.

"Akuma figured that since these worlds are starting to fuse together, you would have an easier time getting to her." Lemres added. "Think you can do it?"

"Well, duh! Of course, I can! They don't call me the Wander of Worlds for nothing you know! _***giggle***_ "

_Why are you wandering in other worlds, to begin with?_

"Well, alright then. Let's head back to the museum and…"

"Hey, hold on now. Who said I was doing this for free?"

"Huh?"

"A-Are you kidding me?! You're seriously charging us?!" I yelled.

"Yep! But not with money. Instead, I got a little request."

"Request?"

"What are you going on about, Ecolo?" Ringo asked.

" _Well…_ before I started spying on you guys…"

" _So, you're admitting to spying on us without a care in the world…_ " Uni said to herself in a pissed-off tone.

"…I had the pleasure of running into our loveable spacy girl Cheri."

"Ch-Cheri?!" Ringo asked. "Wh-Why is she out here by herself?!"

"Wait, who's Cheri?" I asked.

"W-Well…y-you see, she's…uh…"

"Let's just say that she's a special girl." Lemres said.

"Special?"

"It's…best that you saw her for yourselves." Was all Ringo said about the matter.

"Uh…"

_Whoever this girl is, Ringo sure seems to care deeply about her…_

"A-Anyway, Ecolo…what's Cheri doing out here with the world looking like this?"

"She isn't. I last saw her with this other girl earlier. And it was an interesting sight to behold. I even tried to mess with them a little…but the new girl pushed me off. So, I gave up and left. But it _**HAS**_ been a while since I've seen them both, so…"

"So, you want us to go look for them?" Lemres asked. "What does this other girl look like?"

"Oh, you know…a teenage girl with turquoise eyes and kinda long grey hair. Wearing this red & dark grey dress that kinda looked like a school uniform…"

_Wait…why does this description sound familiar?_

"…and she had **A LOT** of K's on her. Must be her favorite letter."

_N-No way! It's_ _**HER** _ _?!_

"A-A lot of K's?!" Uni yelled out. "Noire! That description! You don't think it's…"

"Yeah…no doubt about it, Uni! That's K-Sha!"

"K-Sha? You two know this girl?" Ringo asked.

"She's a girl we know from our world!"

"S-Seriously?!"

" _ ***giggle***_ Figured so." Ecolo said. "She definitely stood out. Even had that "other-worldly scent" around her."

"The hell kind of scent is that?" Ringo gained a sweatdrop.

_Th-This is insane! I-I truly thought everyone in Lastation had perished during that apocalyptic hell! To know that K-Sha survived such an ordeal…and that she ended up in this world, too…she's definitely tougher than she looks._

_But that's beside the point! Right now…_

"So, that's my request." Ecolo said. "If you managed to find those girls and bring them back to town, then _**maybe**_ I'll help you get Amitie back. _Don't let me down now, Ringie~!_ _***giggle***_ " And then, soon after that, the shadowy drooling nosey-as-hell blob disappeared from in front of us in a huge hurry. As if he wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

" **H-Hey, wait! Ecolo!** " Ringo yelled. " _ ***sigh***_ He didn't even tell us were they went from here."

" _So, K-Sha is here…_ " I said to myself. "…H-Hey, guys. Sorry for the sudden detour, but can we go after K-Sha for now? I really want to see if it's really her."

"Well, since this K-Sha girl seems to be with Cheri, I want to see if she's alright, too. Is this okay for now, Lemres?"

"I'll admit. This was not part of the plan." Lemres said. "But the more people allied with us in this crisis the better. So, let's see if we can find them."

"Thanks, Lemres." I said with a grateful smile.

***BOOM***

"Wh-What was that?!"

"It sounds like it came from over there." Uni said as she pointed up ahead. "Is there someplace important close by, Lemres?"

"In that direction…that's the Arca Ruins. That place has been a central hotspot for the monsters as of late."

"Ah, geez. Cheri…" Ringo grew a worried look on her face.

"Don't worry, Ringo. Noire and I will take those monsters down. We won't let a single one hurts our friends. Right, Noire?"

"Uni's right. Just leave it to us." I added.

" _ ***sigh***_ Thanks, you guys. You know, I feel kinda guilty leaving all the work to you two. With you being from a different world and the injuries you're recovering from…"

"Well, like you said, Ringo. Friends help each other during dire times. No matter what the situation. And we're gonna take that life lesson to heart!"

…

…

…

"Well, alright then! I'm counting on you both!" Ringo cheered with a huge smile on her face.

"So am I." Lemres added. "But…"

"Huh? But what?"

"You did say before that you both barely have any power due to the events in your world, correct?"

"O…O-Oh, yeah. That is the case." I said as we both grew disgruntled sweatdrops.

"Well, I can help you out with that problem. Until you gain back your original powers, that is."

"Huh? You can?"

"And how exactly can you do that?" Uni asked.

"Well…you both can just borrow these for the time being." Lemres then pulled from his pocket two very shiny crystals. With the colors reminding me of outer space, for some reason.

"Woah…"

"What kind of crystals are these?" I asked.

"W-Wait, are those… **L-Lemres! H-How did you get those?!** " Ringo asked with a panicked look on her face.

"I just made a simple trade-off with a friend of mine. She should be enjoying some deliciously sweet chocolate éclairs nowadays. _***chuckle***_ "

"Y-You cannot be serious…" Ringo gained a huge sweatdrop.

Meanwhile, Uni and I kept staring at the crystals in Lemres' hand. They truly were pretty…but I can easily tell that they contain some serious power.

Mainly because…I just realized what these things were.

_This is definitely the peak of other-worldly chaos right here…_

* * *

**3** **rd** **Person POV**

Sometime later, the group of four were nearing the Arca Ruins. The source of the explosion from earlier and where Ringo hopes is where Cheri is right now.

As for the Lastation Sisters, their main goal was to see if the Gold Third member K-Sha really was here in this world. Neither one of them believed that anyone survived the nation being torn and crumbled apart. So, the fact that a mere schoolgirl did…despite knowing how powerful K-Sha really is, it was still a huge shock to them.

They were closing into the entrance of the ruins when they all gained sight of…

" **Sweeping Fire!** "

***BANG* *BANG* *BANG***

" **Precision Fire!** "

***BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG***

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

"Tch! There's too many of them! I'm missing most of my shots!" Yelled out a girl with long gray hair as she was firing at the horde of monsters with two handguns. "How you doing over there?!"

" _Sweet Cherry._ "

***BOOM***

" _Bowooooooze…!_ "

" _Neiiiiiigh…!_ "

…

…

…

…

…

" _Pretty good._ " Replied a girl who looked quite similar to Ringo. The only differences were the clothes, the red markings all over her body, and the fact that she was floating.

…

There's a good explanation for that. But at a later time.

"You know…I really wish you would stop with these long pauses. They're so uncomfortable to sit through." The girl gained a sweatdrop.

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

"You're kidding me…more showed up?!"

" _We're getting surrounded. Are we going to die?_ "

"Not on my watch! I'll shoot them all down before that ever happens!" The girl readied her guns to shoot at the horde of monsters once more.

But…

***CLICK***

"Huh?!"

***CLICK***

…

***CLICK***

***CLICK***

***CLICK***

…

***CLICK***

" _N-No way…_ **out of ammo?!** "

" _Huh. So, we are going to die. Wish I had some cherries._ "

" **This is our final moments alive and all you can think about are CHERRIES?!** "

" _I like cherries. They're delicious._ "

" _ ***sigh***_ You are something else…" The girl facepalmed.

" _ **RAAAWWWGGGHH!**_ "

The monsters were beginning to attack. The two girls were helpless and defenseless…honestly from the very start. They were pretty much ambushed by these monsters while they were trying to find a way out of the forest. And now, their path…seems to end here.

…

Or…so they thought. Because literally just a few feet away…

* * *

**Noire's POV**

" **Infinite Slash!** "

***SLASHING SOUND x12***

" _ **RAAAWWWGgghhh…**_ "

…

"H…Huh?"

" _They're gone._ "

"Well…that was a close one. Are you alright, K-Sha?"

"N…Noire?! **Oh, my Gosh! It really is you!** " K-Sha cheered greatly as she rushed over and hugged me as tight as she could. Which, knowing her strength, was a whole damn lot.

" **Noire! My precious Noire! I'm so happy to see you again! Seeing you here makes me feel really really** _ **REALLY**_ **fuzzy inside!** _ ***giggle***_ "

"G-Geez, K-Sha! I'm happy to see you, too! But can you **PLEASE** let go of me already?! You're squeezing too tight!"

"Oops. Sorry, Noire." K-Sha said as she had finally let go of me. Though, still having a huge smile on her face.

"Sheesh, K-Sha." Uni said. "You were so focused on Noire that you didn't even notice that was standing right next to her."

"Oh, Uni! I'm happy to see you too, you know!"

"Yeah…but clearly not as much as you are for Noire."

" _Ringo…_ "

"Cheri! Thank goodness you're safe! Why were you out here with all these monsters out and around?!"

" _Looking for cherries. Then I got lost._ "

"Seriously? You came out here, knowing how dangerous it is, just for some cherries?"

" _I like cherries. They're delicious._ "

" _ ***sigh***_ Yeah, yeah. I know." Ringo gained a huge sweatdrop from talking to…a girl that looks near identical to her?

_What the hell…_

"Hey, Noire. Uni. Who are these two people with you?" K-Sha asked.

"Their names are Ringo and Lemres." I replied. "They're residents of this world and they've helped us navigate through this forest."

"I see…"

"Guys, this is K-Sha. The girl we mentioned about." Uni said to the two residents. "She can be your average teenage schoolgirl…until she picks up a gun. Then she's a completely different person."

"Yeah, I saw that first-hand not too long ago." Ringo said with a sweatdrop. "Nonetheless…nice to meet you, K-Sha."

"A pleasure to meet you as well, K-Sha." Lemres said with a tip of his hat.

"Nice to meet you both, too." K-Sha said. Then she went silent as she kept staring between the oddly identical two Ringos in front of us. "S-So…Ringo…are you and Cheri related? Cause you both look near-identical to each other."

"Yeah, it's like she a clone of you or something." I added.

"Well…that's because she is."

…

…

…

"What?" Uni, K-Sha and I grew confused looks.

" _I'm Cheri Ando. Ringo's clone. Nice to meet you._ "

" **WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!** " And then our confused looks turned to utter shock.

"I had a feeling they would react like that."

"Lemres…you're not helping." Ringo retorted with a sweatdrop.

* * *

***ONE EXPLANATION ABOUT CHERI'S EXISTENCE LATER…***

"W-Wow…th-that's crazy." K-Sha said.

"S-So, Amitie's sister made clones of you, Arle, and two others as a way to kill you guys…but since then, all but one have gone good?" Uni asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Ringo said. "And one big note about them is that they act the complete opposite from us. So because of that, I've been taking care of Cheri personally. Mainly because…she isn't all that…smart, aware, emotional…she's just blank most of the time."

"Yeah…I kinda experienced that first-hand." K-Sha said with a sweatdrop.

_Oh, yeah…that kinda reminds me of something…_

"Hey, K-Sha…are you aware that this is a different world?" I asked.

"Huh? Well…yeah, I kinda figured so. None of the surrounding areas looked familiar at all to me."

"I see…"

_This is going to be tough as hell to ask…_

"S-So, then…how did you…"

"Survive the crumbling and destruction of Lastation?" K-Sha then asked with a sad look on her face. "H-Honestly, Noire…I think it was pure luck."

"Luck? Wait, what do you by that?"

"Well…" And right when K-Sha was about to answer…

" _Cherry Bomb._ "

***BOOM***

" _ ***cough* *cough***_ Ch-Cheri…what you do that for?" Ringo asked her clone (that's so weird to say) after she blasted a sphere-shaped bomb in front of us all.

" _Someone fired a laser at us. It was going to be bad…I think._ "

_You think?_

"What? But who would fire a laser at us in the middle of these ruins?"

"Turn around and you'll find your answer."

"Huh?"

_Wait a minute…that voice…no way it could be…_

As we turned around towards the direction of the sudden voice, we saw the source of it slowly walking towards us. And it confirmed my thoughts and pissed me the hell off.

"Hahahahaha! To think I would run into **YOU** two here! Quite the interesting development, don't you think?"

"You've got to be kidding me… **Arfoire?!** "

" **The hell are you doing here?!** " Uni yelled.

"You two know this woman?" Lemres asked.

"This is Arfoire." I said. "She's been the cause of multiple incidents back our world and we always have to beat her ass to stop her. But for some reason, she keeps coming back."

"I see…" Ringo said. "…the most common trope of a cliché villain."

" **EXCUSE** me?!" Arfoire yelled in a pissed-off tone. "Who the hell are you calling cliché?!"

"Well…basing on the TV shows and manga that are in my world, the concept of the villain returning every time to face-off against the protagonist is the most cliché trope to ever exist. Nothing original ever happens with it and from what Noire said about you, you seem to follow that unoriginal, tired-out, bland-as-hell trope to the T. It's truly pathetic."

" **What?!** "

"Damn! Tell her, Ringo!"

"Make her see how annoyingly cliché she is! _ ***giggle***_ " Uni and K-Sha were clearly enjoying this. It's not every day you get to tell the main villain how unoriginal they are right to their face. Not even Neptune did such a thing.

_Which is shocking considering how much she breaks the 4_ _th_ _wall…_

" _Grr…_ damn disrespectful brats are all over this world! Makes me almost have a reason for trying to kill that blonde brat back in Planeptune! _If only she wasn't the freaking Light Soul…_ "

"Light Soul? Are you perhaps talking about Amitie?" Lemres asked.

"Hmph. Well, don't you have a strong sense of hearing…yes, I am. In fact, I met her shortly after the sky changed in Planeptune. I'm pretty sure it and the other nations are already crumbled up to pieces by now. Hahahahaha!"

" **Wh-What?!** " Most of us shouted in shock (the exception being Cheri. Man, she has zero emotions whatsoever).

"Oh? Did I not say that already? My mistake." Arfoire taunted us with little to no remorse.

"So…you are involved. You're involved in pieces of Gamindustri tearing apart and becoming floating landmasses in that void! **My nation is in pieces…and most of its citizens are dead…all because of you damn psychos! JUST WHAT THE F*** IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!** "

" _N-Noire…_ " Uni said silently as everyone saw that I was near the brink of tears. Now knowing that this nuisance woman had some involvement in Lastation being nothing more than pieces in this sky and the people suffering such horrible deaths…the sheer trauma that now haunts my mind due to being a witness to it all…the fact that I'll mentally suffer from this for all eternity…all because of her…

"Are those tears I see? You're seriously going to cry over your petty nation being eradicated from existence…who's the pathetic one now, CPU Black Heart? Hahahahaha!"

" _Shut up…_ "

"Huh?"

" _Shut up…_ Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up…"

" **SHUT THE FUCK UUUUUUUUUUUP!** "

***CRACK***

" **GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!** "

Then out of nowhere…I felt some intense power rushing through my body. A rush of energy overtaking me as if I'm being possessed by an evil spirit.

But for some reason…it felt good. It felt _**really**_ good, to be honest. As if I've been reborn anew and my powers as a CPU have been completely powered up to the freaking max!

I wasn't sure what was causing it at first…but then I realized something from earlier…

_Is this…the power? The true power…of the Crystal Shard?_

I soon felt myself being released from the huge ball of light that I was engulfed to before. And as I looked at myself, I realized that I had transformed.

But…not in the normal way.

"W-Woah…d-did Noire just transform?!" K-Sha asked.

"I-I think she did…" Uni said. "…B-But she looks **WAY** different from how she normally looks!"

"Uh… _ **normally**_ looks?! What exactly is going on?!" Ringo asked in pure utter confusion.

Uni and K-Sha were right, though. How I transformed was different from normal. My eyes turned cyan and my hair turned pure white…but I still had my human body. Which was now covered with cyan-colored markings and surrounded by sparks of electricity of the same color.

_Whatever this Crystal Shard is doing…I think I might like it._

"Y-You're kidding… **THIS** one changed too?!" Arfoire yelled in shock over what I had become.

"Hey, you demented cliché pain-in-the-ass bitch! You and I are going to fight right here right now! I'm gonna make you **PAY** for what you did! **I'll avenge ALL of Lastation for the nightmarish final shit you put them all through!** "

"W-Woah…" Uni and K-Sha said in disbelief.

" _Noire's totally pissed…cool._ "

"Cheri, how is this, in any sort of way, "cool"?" Ringo asked her clone with a sweatdrop.

Meanwhile, Lemres still hasn't said a word about any of this. So far, I've known him to be rather calm and mature about what's been going on. But to be this calm…at a moment like this…

"So, you wish to fight me, huh?" Arfoire asked with a smirk on her face. "Fine. I'll accept your challenge. But let's make things interesting while we're here, shall we?"

"Interesting?"

"We're in a different world…so, we'll battle with **THEIR** way of fighting. Prepare to have rainbow jellies be the cause of your demise!"

_She means…Puyo Puyo, right?_

"Fine! Whatever! Whether it be with sharp swords or rainbow jellies, I'll take you down and make you pay! **Bring it, bitch!** "

"Tch! Annoyingly arrogant as always! I'll put you in your place once and for all! Let's…"

" **PUYO BATTLE!** " We both shouted at the top of our lungs. Preparing to initiate my first ever Puyo Puyo battle. And with an insanely new feeling of power, too.

_Crystal Shard, don't fail me now!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meeting Ecolo, reuniting with K-Sha, and running into Arfoire. These events had led to Noire gaining an abnormal new power. But is it really because of those? Or does the Crystal Shard in her possession carry a bigger purpose than a temporary power source?
> 
> Like I said in the last chapter, my Puyo Puyo X Kirby story (titled Puyo Puyo: Dream Land Invasion) is going to have a great amount of involvement in this story. It's not a sequel of any kind…but I highly suggest that you read it to fully understand where Amitie's powers came from, the concept of the 4 clones, and why Crystal Shards are so important here. Trust me, it will help.
> 
> Next chapter will contain…a new group of characters, a new POV, and a new location. Separate from the worlds of Puyo Puyo and Neptunia.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Later.


End file.
